I am all topic-ed out for a bit, so the topic for this post is “Potpourri” a la the Jeopardy category. So here are some random questions posed by people who like me and only wish me a the greatest success possible. Everyone who did not offer up questions… you are on notice… and I have no idea who you are.

1. How are the new spectacles?They are fine. I’m definitely not used to them. So far I have not gotten much sympathy from the people who have worn glasses since they were little kids. Making it to 43 without glasses is pretty good, so my complaints are unnecessary.

2. Some people find a career that is their passion, and others work to fund the other parts of their lives that feed their soul. Which are you? Has that changed over the years?For most of my work life I would say job funded the rest of life. My most recent job has a little of Column A and Column B.

4. Have you bought your Last Jedi tickets yet?Nope. That is a soon to purchase thing.

5. Do you still Math ever? Like, for fun? I occasionally Shakespeare just to remind myself of my heady undergraduate days.Not really… occasionally I might throw some Maths into everyday conversation. I also try to stay abreast of what Little Man is learning in his 8th grade math class.

6. Can you give a quick ranking of the movies you will likely see or wish you could see for the remainder of the year?There are only 3 left for the year that I am remotely interested or more inThor RagnarokStar Wars: The Last JediJustice LeagueAnd I would rank them in order of excitement as 2, 1, 3

7. What's the best meal you've had in the past 6 months?It is a toss up between this Venezuelan restaurant in Brookline, MA and Texas de Brazil.

8. What one thing have you lost that you wish you could find again (youth doesn't count, I'm still searching)?I am going with my will to push myself through things that are uncomfortable. I have such a difficult time forcing myself to be uncomfortable, like say… on a treadmill.

9. If you could create and name a new color what would it be and describe please.Flumph and it would be a light blue gray with a hint of yellow.

10. Trick or treat?Treat.

11. Should regulation of potpourri be at the federal level or should states have the authority to decide for themselves?On this issue, I will go with state’s rights. We’re talking about pot, right?

12. Why don’t we fall off the ends of the earth since it’s obviously flat? (Also as part of this blog I’d like a cartographic explanation. Preferably in sepia tone. And using Olde English for all the lettering. Please and thank you.)The earth is a 4th dimensional “brane” that is twisted on itself like a mobius strip, thus while the shadow of that form is a flat plane it is in fact a multi-dimensional object that only seems like a flat plane because of our own limited perceptive capabilities. If one can map a map of a hyper dimensional object, it would not be in sepia or in Olde English.

13. Did you just get a new washer and dryer?Our old ones were something like 15 years old, so they were a bit long in the tooth. We did get a new washer and dryer and I am excited to see them in action.

14. Now that you have dogs, have you become a dog person or are you still a cat person despite your dog affiliation?I still like cats better than I like dogs. I love my 2 dumb dogs, but I still like cats more in general.

15. If you are a cat person, why did you even get puppies?My daughter is crazy allergic to cats and really wanted to have pets. We ended up getting Vizslas because they are very loving dogs.

16. What is the hardest question to answer?This is a bit meta, isn’t it? The answer is more difficult than this question shows.

17. What was the hardest question that you have ever been asked?The previous one was a bit of a doozy. Meta answers are the best answers.

18. What was the last good game you played?Exploding Kittens with the Imploding Kittens expansion… that is the game the family plays when we go to restaurants and are waiting on our orders to be ready.I also am playing a D&D game online using the Fantasy Grounds platform on Sunday evenings. Both of those gaming experiences have been pretty darn good.

19. Did you watch the most recent Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer?Nope, I am trying not to watch it because I am already in. The trailer won’t make me want to see the movie any more than I already do. The teaser trailer and the first trailer were enough to get my appetite going.

20. What is one thing you enjoy about your kids’ favorite extracurricular activities and what is one thing you cannot stand?Little Man: Swimming - Enjoy: how active he is. Cannot stand: swim meets are an amazing time sinkLittle Woman: Horseback riding - Enjoy: how much she loves and enjoys being around ponies and horses. Cannot Stand: I do not like horse or the culture that people build around horses.

To recap:I am thirstyI have found that I really like kombuchaI am a little upset about thisI am not a kombucha kind of guyBut is so tasties!!!I am currently 1 or 2 episodes away from being done with “The Vietnam War” by Ken Burns and Lynn NovikIt has been super compellingLynn Novick is not Naomi NovikBoth are crazy talented Noviks thoughI need to buy some tickets for both Thor and Last JediI also need to coordinate with my wife as to which of these movies she would like to join me for the watchingsNow that I have the glasses, I need to start consistently drawing againI also need to get back on the treadmill

ugh... the US is not going to the World Cup Finals... that is pretty much unacceptable for a US Soccer fanHave a great week everyone

This weekend I went to the Cincinnati Comic Expo to hang out with my friend William “Will/Bill” Grapes. Honestly, I refer to him as Grapes in my head, so his first name is not nearly as important to me as his surname. Anyway I was hanging out at his table and decided to finish up some drawing that I had done to get back up on the horse for drawing… but my eyes… they did not work so well. Lots of blurriness, lots of double stuff. Hard to focus on the detail work that is necessary for my drawing style. Very frustrating not being able to tell which line is the correct one.

1. Who was the greater visionary: Arthur C. Clarke or Jules Verne? Defend your answer.Arthur C. Clark (even though he allegedly had a penchant for young Sri Lankans). His works were (even though they were weird as shit and just as wrong as Verne’s) more grounded. Come at me bro!

2. Have you ever had an honest-to-god hallucination?Not that I can remember. My daughter has. She saw AT-AT’s in a fevered hallucination when she was about 4 and had a crazy high fever.

AT-AT's tromped through my kid's visions

3. If you could see into either the past or the future, which would you pick?I think I would go with the past, because then it still makes the future seem influenceable.

4. What is your favorite eye color?Dark brown

5. What is a little-known fact about eyeballs that you just made up?Not just the moon is made of cheese.

6. If you had the power of The Vision what would you do?I would phase in and out of things all the time… when I was not flying, because I would be flying all the times that I was not phasing into and out of something.

The Vision: Victor Shade from Marvel Comics

7. If you could get a drawing of The Vision by one artist who would it be?Renoir or maybe Degas.

8. Do you wear bifocals? Sorry I should know this -- do you wear glasses now (other than sunglasses)? If so when did you start wearing them?I do not have glasses as of 11:30 am Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017.

9. Did you find yourself looking “under” your glasses to see the details? (asking for a friend)No glasses here, but might I suggest seeing if you need another prescription.

10. What vision superpower would you love to have?I would love to be able to see beyond the horizon.

11. Which actual vision superpower do you think you’d accidentally acquire as a result of a wayward Krav Maga move by your wife?I think a wayward hammer fist from the wife would only give me the special ability to see the inside of my eyelids.

12. Have you ever gone on a vision quest?Nope... that seems a bit cultural appropriation-ish if I did that... at least that's what my spirit animal tells me.

13. Have you ever had a vision appear to you?Nope

14. Are you actually going to have an eye exam to sort this out? Have you seen an eye doctor? Regular check-ups are important.Going today.

15. Will you be purchasing the OWL?Nope. Sweet God No... Just some glasses.

Optical. Wallet. Light. and magnifying glass

16. Did you see my sister at the Expo? She was there.I cannot say that I did not see her, but I can assure you that if I did see her, I did not recognize her.

17. Do you have a personal Vision Statement?Nope, but I probably should.

18. Would X-ray vision be a good super power?It depends on if you could control the intensity.

19. If you had to lose one of your senses - which do you think you would not want to lose?I would be fine losing my sense of decency or direction, but I really want to keep the major ones.

20. Have you noticed when they do the "make overs" on tv that the people who wear glasses ALWAYS do not have glasses on in the reveal? Does this mean the world thinks "Boys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses?"Make-up people do not like glasses because they obstruct their work. If the make over does not include a make-up person, I think glasses might still remain.

To recap:I just had my vision testTurns out my close up vision is complete crap these daysReading glasses are in orderToo bad my left eye is really different than my right or I could get away with some cheap ass readersOptometrist said that the prescription should change almost every year for a whileSeeing and being 40+ is not the best combinationSo many bright lightsI am tired of using pattern recognition to read instead of seeing the letters clearlyMy old comic book art community, Ten Ton Studios, will be closing its digital doors in early NovemberTen Ton Studios will always have a place in my heartI met a bunch of friends there, many people I interact with on a daily basis via social mediaI count a bunch of people from that board as friendsSome I would say are close friendsI had the occasion to do 20 Questions Tuesdays with more than a handful of these peopleThey are all wonderful peopleI think the FaceBook group might potentially end up taking the forum’s placeOr maybe someone can get a slack channel goingWhen I get my Mag-Lite book ready for publish, I am going to hit many of them up for interior pin-up artMy head is starting to hurt, so I need to wrap this post upAnyone want to do a 20 Questions interview?Hit me upI will take all takersHave a great week everyone

This week I get the opportunity to ask one of the hosts of one of my favorite podcasts 20 Questions. Chris Mancini is a comedian/podcaster/director/author who I have followed for years now. He is the co-host of the Comedy Film Nerds podcast wherein he and the other host, comedian Graham Elwood and a guest talk about movies in the theaters, trailers of upcoming movies, and movies that are on-demand and coming out on DVD. Chris is one of the creators of the podcasting documentary Ear Buds, he is writing a graphic novel I backed on Kickstarter, and really is a nuanced critic of movies. So, I know he is very knowledgeable of movies, is constantly creating, and is a dad, but that is about all I know of him. So, let's get to know him better through these 20 Questions.

In a previous job, I was a cartographer. I love maps and mapmaking and the idea of stories being told with the concepts place. Specifically I love people's personal geographic stories. For example, I was born outside of Oklahoma City, OK, moved to the Birmingham area in Alabama and stayed there until I went off to school in Kent, Ohio. I graduated from Kent State and followed my soon to be wife down to Columbus, Ohio for grad school and have lived in the greater Columbus area for over 20 years now. Question 1: What is your geographic story?

I was born in Havertown, PA and then moved to West Chester PA in 4th grade. I then moved to Philadelphia to go to college for Film and start my stand-up career. I graduated from Temple University with a degree in communications. I then moved to LA in my mid-twenties and have been banging my head against the entertainment industry ever since.

Pretty much a Pennsylvania to LA track. That is pretty direct and compact. I know that you are a stand up, so I am sure you have been to most (if not all) the states in the US. Question 2: Any states left of the 50 that you have not been to?

Yes, I’ve never been to Alaska or Maine. The northern extremes. And really want to get to both at some point.

This summer may family took a trip to Alaska, and my mother-in-law's favorite place ever is Maine. Both are wonderful places.

Now to my Question 3 which is a directly stolen idea from a classic Paul F Tompkins bit. Question 3: Cake or pie? Which specific kind and why?

I’ve always loved peach pie with vanilla ice cream. It has fruit in it so I can pretend I’m eating something healthy.

Peach Pie on a pretty white plate

Peach pie is a super Georgia thing. Rarely have I encountered someone who loves peach pie who has not spent some time in the Peach State.

Question 4: Where and how did you come into contact with a peach pie a la mode?

When traveling down south, of course.

I did walk right into that one.

Question 5: Is there a movie genre you cannot help yourself from watching even if you know the particular movie you are about to watch is going to be terrible?

Unfortunately, Action. The state of action movies could be a LOT better than it is. We have Fast and Furious, but they are tongue-in-cheek. We need more Mad Max, less Transformers.

Question 6: Do you think the paucity of quality action movies is due to lack of people able to write action well, lack of directors being able to direct action well, or that the studios don't understand action movies?

I think it’s a combination of all those things. When there is a little success on an action movie, the studios milk it to death, like the Bourne franchise. And even those early ones the action was mostly hidden with quick cuts and closeups. It was infuriating when you have an action movie and you can’t see the action.

That is one reason why I think John Wick (for better analysis of John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2 watch the Movies with Mikey reviews by Mikey Neumann) was such a nice breath of fresh air. The action is mainly in frame and not sped up, and super practical. I agree that, I think that the studios rely way too much established properties (re: Bourne). I guess, the insane levels of risk aversion is a pretty significant deterrent for the studios.

So, you have written a book, are writing a graphic novel, made short films, made a documentary, do stand-up, podcast about movies and produce/edit a movie themed website... Question 7: Any kind of content creation that you haven't done that you want to try your hand at? and of these things listed, which is the one you find most comfortable?

Writing has and always will be my first love. I’d like to just be doing more of that. And of all the writing, I love writing scripts the most. I’m finding writing the graphic novel very rewarding because it’s a screenplay come to life as I’m converting it. I’d just like to do more comic, film, and television writing. Although I am launching a new scripted anthology podcast soon called “Conversations From the Abyss” that I’m VERY excited about. I’m hoping to get it launched in the next month or so. Listeners of Welcome to Night Vale and The Thrilling Adventure Hour will recognize some familiar voices.

"Conversations From the Abyss" sounds like it could be really fun. (Editor’s Note: It is a great bite-size podcast. It has the perfect amount of creepiness, everyone should listen to it. I have enjoyed each episode more)

Conversations from the Abyss

I did a NaNoWriMo a few years back about a c-list superhero and some of the shenanigans he got himself into. This November I want to refine that story and clean it up. There are so many things that need edited and fleshed out. I have been mulling over how it is put together for some time and feel that I am far enough away from the writing exercise to give it some strong editing. I might try and self-pub this and sell at Cons of something. All this to say that writing certainly has some real allure.

Question 8: What is the hardest aspect of writing that you encounter?

Lately it’s been finding the time to sit down and do it. I have too many plates spinning in the air and need to let a few go so I have more time to write.

Interestingly, for the people I have interviewed who are writers, but are not solely employed as writers, this is the answer I always get back. Time seems to be the limiting factor between creative expression, work/life balance, family etc...

If we only had more time there would be significantly more creative endeavors going on out there.

Question 9: What about writing do you find to be the most rewarding?

The most rewarding thing about writing is when it gets out into the world and is actually read or seen, depending on if it was a book or a script. One of the most satisfying things I’ve done recently is take an old screenplay (Long Ago and Far Away) that got some traction in Hollywood but ultimately never got made and turn it into a graphic novel which is being worked on right now. I can’t wait for people to read it.

Oh, I am quite aware of "Long Ago and Far Away." That is one of the 36 Kickstarters that I have backed and been funded. I am 36 for 36 on Kickstarters. I'm less a Kickstarter backer and more of a Kickstarter fairy. I back a project... it gets funded. Boom. In all truthfulness, I love the concept for the story of "Long Ago and Far Away," and I cannot wait to read it.

Question 10: Fill in the blanks: I find that I am mostly _____. Others find that I am mostly _____.

1)Stretched too thin.

2)Busy. I know they go hand in hand, but I’d like to get to a place where I’m busy but not struggling to keep up with everything.

"Pleasantly busy" is a laudable goal. It is also a very fine line to hit. I am sorry that you feel stretched too thin, because that is a hard space to be in.

Question 11: What is one small thing that you would like to add or change in your life that would help with the "stretched too thin" feeling?

Getting an assistant.

Attainable goal. Seriously attainable if you are willing to work with a remote assistant.

Deceptively simple question... Question 12: Overall, are you happy?

Yes. But I’d be happier if I had an assistant.

Again, attainable goal. More happiness may be just around the corner. Your assistant could put it in your calendar.

Here we are at the "unlucky 13," so... Question 13: Do you have any superstitions or rituals in your life?

When I write and get into the zone, I always put music on. It helps me concentrate.

I think, more than any other profession I have interviewed, writing is the most ritualistic, but really cerebrally ritualistic. The rituals seem to be associated with setting the stage and getting a proper environment. For example, one of the other comic book writers I interviewed cannot start writing until he's done a crossword puzzle.

Music while writing makes sense on a very deep level. Question 14: Does the music choice when writing influence the writing, or does the writing influence the music choice?

I often listen to Coldplay when writing comedy and Death Cab for Cutie when writing horror. They just seem to be good soundtracks for what I'm writing.

That is very interesting. I would not think that Chris Martin would lead one to comedic insights. Death Cab for Cutie makes sense on some level, but the Coldplay reveal is interesting to say the least.

Coldplay's "Yellow" off of A Head Full of Dreams... it's Hilarious

It seems that comedy tends to rely on an set-up with an unexpected reveal, whereas horror seems to be about the suspenseful build-up and reveal. This is my understanding, but my understanding could be completely flawed. Question 15: What do you like about writing comedy and what do you like about writing horror?

They are two sides of the same coin. Both evoke an emotional response, via setup and payoff, albiet opposites: Joy or Fear. Comedy, Horror, and Parenting are all more closely related than people think.

I have often felt that comedy and horror are a razor thin line away from each other... at least in movies... It is very easy to have a horror transition into comedy. Bad horror movies sometimes end up being hilarious. Bad comedies can simply be horrendous, but necessarily scary.

Question 16: Is there a question or a topic you were expecting me to ask that I have not?

No. I’ve learned to “manage my expectations”.

That seems a little bitey with the quotes and all. Ouch.The good news is that we are on the home stretch, and even though we are not done, I want to thank you for lasting this long. Some people do not.

Question 17: If you were to make a straight up action movie, what action movie trope would you want to try and flip?

Ha. More about “managing my expectations” for the entertainment industry in general rather than this interview. If I were making an action movie, I would flip the “ex navy seal” trope and make it an ordinary guy, and make an action version of “Falling Down”.

I would watch that.

Now, I am nervous because it is time for me to flip the roles. Question 18: Are there any questions that you would like to ask me?

What’s your favorite animated movie and why?

This is a difficult one... so I will give you a few, and maybe in my reasoning I will land on one.

Fire and Ice by Bakshi... my absolute favorite as a kid. It is gorgeous, but due to the rotoscoping and, let's say, the not quite timeless material, I don't think it holds up that well.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm... quite possibly one of the best Batman stories I have ever seen in a theater. It is almost forgotten, but it was a great capstone to the 90's animated series.

Inside Out... is a great and nuanced story that is told in a very delightful and inventive way. That movie is Pixar hitting on all cylinders.

I know I am omitting a bunch of other really amazing animated movies, but those are the three I fall back on.

Question 19: What are you taking from these 20 Questions that you did not come in with?

That it's actually fun to be interviewed piecemeal.

I have found that this process is very interesting due to the amount of time the "interview" spans. People are sometimes in radically different places in their lives from beginning to end. For one interview I was doing, the person went from being a young married guy to being an expectant father... His tone of his answers at the end of the 20 questions were very different than when he began. It is an interesting process.

Here we go with the final question. Question 20: What's next? Be as vague or as specific, as concrete or philosophical, and as near term or long term as you would like.

I’m not sure what’s next but here’s what I want it to be, no matter what it is: New, Fun, and successful.

Seriously, everyone should give consume some of the amazing content that Chris is making and give him a follow on Twitter and FaceBook.

To recap:I should have formatted this post much earlier todayI’m hungryLike REALLY HUNGRYNot like for human flesh or anything, but hungry enoughI might not have had a significant lunchIf “significant lunch” is defined as “more than a bag of chips”That could be an issueI am planning on heading to Cincinnati Comic Expo this weekendI will be hanging out with Bill GrapesIt will be awesomeI might be able to pick up some commissions whilst thereCommissions could be niceAs long as it is not another Plastic-Man v GodzillaThat was hard to do just because of the scale differenceI am in the middle of another 20 Questions interview, but I think this one will take a full year to get done (it might already be a year+)Just checked, we are on month 13 of the interviewHe spends extensive amounts of time away from computersAnyone else want to do a 20 Questions?Hit me upHave a great week

Today I get the pleasure of asking Garon Cockrell 20 Questions. Garon is the oft-maligned and under appreciated (for comedic effect) intern for the Never Not Funny podcast(one of my favorite podcasts ever), a position he took way back in 2012. Garon is also the founder, editor and a writer for his pop culture website aptly titled Pop Culture Beast. He is a published horror author and an award winning screenplay writer. Other than the exploits and tales told while being the intern at Never Not Funny, I really do not know that much about Garon, so let's change that and get to the questions.

My previous job of just over 15 years was as a cartographer. I have always loved how place can often tell a story that might not be captured in other formats. So I have always been interested in people's personal geographic stories. For example, I was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma then moved to Montgomery, Alabama only to move up to Birmingham a few years later. I basically grew up in the Birmingham area and got the Hell out of there when I went off to school in Kent, Ohio. From Kent I followed my college sweetheart down to Columbus, Ohio and have lived in the Columbus area for since moving down here in 1997.

Question 1: What is your geographic story?

I wish I could say I’ve lived in a million different places, amongst a multitude of cultures. Unfortunately, I can’t say that. I grew up in Michigan, various parts of (suburbs) Detroit but mostly Livonia/Walled Lake. My family has roots in Canada and in the south so I have visited both of these places amongst some other states in the country but as far as living, it was Michigan until I got to the soonest possible moment I could flee and from there it was to California. First to Panorama City, which I would not recommend, and then to Sherman Oaks, where I’ve been for a few years now. I’d love for my geographic story to take me to the UK one day or even to places like Portland or Seattle. Maybe when I’m rich with writer money.

That is a pretty simple story. Michigan to LA. There are worse stories. I know a few stories of people who have not moved out of their childhood town ever. They are some of the reasons I left that town, but that is a story for a different time. So... Question 2: Do you get the opportunity to travel much? If so, where have you been?

I don't travel near as much as I'd like. When I was younger we went to places like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in Tennessee. We went to Ohio a lot for Cedar Point, sometimes Sea World and this theme park called Geauga Lake, which apparently is abandoned now. I traveled from Michigan to the West with my dad as a kid. We went through Yellowstone, Montana, Wyoming, etc. I ended up flying home alone from Denver while my dad continued on. We also went to this awesome hotel a lot called Wheels Inn somewhere in Canada. Chatham I think? I remember it having a water slide indoors which was basically the coolest thing ever at the time. I've been to Niagra Falls and New York City where I spent the 1999-2000 NYE inside MTV studios. I visited New Mexico where my mom and brother lived briefly.

As an adult though my travels have been far less than in the past. Aside from the road trip moving to California which was basically just a long drive with no pit-stops, I've visited Vegas, Tijuana, San Diego, San Louis Obispo, all just short trips away. I'd really love to see more of not only America but the world too. I wanna visit the Pacific NW, I wanna visit Japan, Ireland, the UK. One of those road trips visiting all the tourist traps in the country sounds amazing to be honest. A dream trip would be traveling the country visiting haunted locales.

A haunted tour might be an interesting thing to see.

Now it is time for my patented Question 3. I think we might circle back to some of these concepts... but Question 3 is almost always Question 3. So, as stolen blatantly from the seminal Paul F. Tompkins bit, Question 3: Cake or pie? Which kind specifically and why?

I'm not a sweets guy to be honest. I do love a good cherry or apple pie but I also love a good yellow cake with strawberries and bananas in the middle from this little hole in the wall in Van Nuys. How do I choose which is a favorite?! Plus cheesecake! This is monstrous. I guess a nice cinnamonny apple pie would be a favorite.

I love me some apple pie. My mom made and decorated cakes as a side business when I was a kid, so I had more than enough cake as a kid. Cheesecake is amazing, and oft forgotten about. You are now quite possibly my favorite person ever, mainly because of the cheesecake!

I am currently subscribed to over 40 podcasts. Question 4: Since you are an integral piece of a super successful podcasts, do you listen to any podcasts?

I don’t listen to near as many shows as I used to, although now that I have a job where I can listen to shows again I have started to dive into to more of them.

Right now I listen to Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl’s podcast Psycho Babble, I was featured on a couple episodes of The No Sleep Podcast which is horror based so I listen to that as often as I can. I also just started listening to some old time radio shows on Old Time Radio. What else…I check out My Favorite Murder, Spontaneanation, Jackie and Laurie. I listened to Serial, S-Town, Missing Richard Simmons (Bleh). Plus I can listen to Rachel Maddow and Real Time with Bill Maher episodes via podcast too which is pretty cool. I think podcasting is a remarkably exciting environment right now. So many voices, so much great content, You’ll likely never run out of something to listen to that you can enjoy or hell even learn from. Did you know that Bernie Sanders has a podcast? It’s crazy, everyone and anyone can have a show and there are folks out there that will listen.

I changed jobs from a state job that was not intellectually stimulating to a much more difficult and extremely more interesting job about a year and a half ago. At that time I was listening to about 60 podcasts a week and consistently miserable. Aside from friends and family, podcasts were about the only thing that kept me relatively sane.

So you are the owner and editor of "Pop Culture Beast." Question 5: Is there a particular part of pop culture that you cannot help yourself around? What corner of pop culture do you simply have to consume regardless of how good or bad each particular piece make actually be?

I mean it’s probably scary movies. I don’t see everything, I wish that I could, but I have such a love for that genre that I love watching it and collecting stuff around it. I love the 80s horror franchises and I will buy pretty much anything that has to do with them so I have toys and posters and books and multiple copies of these movies all over my house. There are movies that I absolutely adore that someone might watch and think I was bonkers. Film in general is a big part of my life. It was really formative for me growing up and represented some important times. It’s why I created the blog and it’s why I write scripts now. I love the business and I want to honor it and be a part of it.

I thought it might be the horror genre in general. I love that you seem to focus on the 80's franchises because they are so iconic. They got so big that you one can easily imagine a saturday morning cartoon with Freddy, Jason, and Mike Meyers on it with the occasional Pinhead interstitial short. I cannot think of an equivalent for the iconic quality for the 2000's or 2010's. The ring did a little of that iconic-ness, but nowhere near as culturally impacting.

Question 6: Why do you think that level of cultural penetration is missing for more current horror franchises and stand-alones?

I mean that's tough. I think innocence has a lot to do with it. Look at the places those films made unsafe. "Halloween" made your typical suburbs a nightmare. "Nightmare on Elm Street" made sleep unsafe. "Friday the 13th" made camping unsafe. What's left? As a society these things don't scare us anymore because they've more or less become reality. Not in a literal way obviously, but if you think about it, what is safe anymore? I think these new breed horror franchises are going to be extremely difficult to launch. I don't think we'll ever have another Freddy or Jason. Jigsaw was the last one of that type. They've tried, look at "Brainscan" from the late 90s. That was supposed to launch a new horror icon. "Jeepers Creepers" also. Horror now is sort of in this interesting Alt-horror phase with stuff like "It Comes At Night" and "It Follows". Both great films but vastly different from the horror I grew up with but I love them just as much. It's a new breed and it's exciting. I can't wait to see what comes next, hopefully with my being a part of it!

I think it also has to do with the proliferation of indy horror making it to some level of distribution. The barrier to entry for horror movies seems to have lifted which has created more indy one-shots instead of studio franchises. I can think of a handful of micro budget horror movies that were really critically acclaimed that I am not sure could have been made prior to this recent explosion of indy creators. But that really is just my completely uninformed guess.

For me, it is super hero movies. I might not go see it in the theater, but I will eventually watch every one of them... even the most terrible of them. It is a curse to be sure... I watched "Steel" with Shaq... ugh (dedication to a genre or compulsion... you be the judge)

Question 7: What is the most unexpectedly hardest aspect for you concerning screenwriting? Clearly getting someone to buy, produce, shoot, edit, and distribute a script is the most difficult, but what is the aspect of the day-to-day screenwriting process that you find surprisingly difficult?

To keep going. That's the truth of the matter. This is such a difficult career to get into and there is virtually no positive reinforcement from anyone so you have to have that inner drive to go on in yourself and I'll be honest, sometimes I feel like it's fading. All I've ever wanted to do was tell stories and bring people emotional reactions to what they are seeing. What happens when no one wants to give you that chance? It's difficult to be sure. So you keep going, you hang in, you write your stories you dream about them because that's all you can do. I think everyone thinks that writing is the easiest thing in the world to do, that you just sit down and start typing, it isn't like that. Often times it's an agonizing internal war just to put "Once upon a time..." on the page. Sometimes you feel like you are on the verge of something happening and sometimes it feels like you are standing at the edge of an abyss with nowhere to go but straight down into the dark where the monsters are waiting. I didn't choose to be a writer because it was an easy path, hell it wasn't even a choice. It's pretty much the only thing I am good at so that's my path. I'll follow it for as long as I am able to.

This is way more informed and personal than I was expecting. I was kind of expecting "Dialog, because writing people talking is the hard," and am really happy to see such a wonderful and thoughtful response. It has to be one of the most unrelenting of processes to write and submit and get no to not good feedback on that finished product.

So let's change topics to something lighter. Question 8: What part of pop-culture do you try to avoid even though it is so incredibly popular?

Kardashians. or I guess Sports if you consider that pop culture, which i guess it is. I just don't really enjoy it much. As for the Kardashians, that might seem like an easy answer, but they're truly vapid and if they aren't really like that, then they are doing a huge disservice to themselves by portraying themselves that way. I even gave Caitlyn Jenner the benefit of the doubt. I enjoyed her show because I thought she was learning something and might come to see her way to being a true value to the community. unfortunately, it doesn't look like she's learned anything.

I can definitely understand stepping away from the Kards... because they are the worst. I think the problem that Caitlyn Jenner has is that her history is so wrapped up in being privileged that she has not had the struggle that many of the LGBTQ have had to endure. It really is amazing how much gods of fame and money can be a soothing balm.I think sports has more of an affinity to pop-culture, but can understand their exclusion as well. That being said, I am not a sports guy as well. I mean... I watch soccer, but that doesn't even really count as a sport in the US.

Question 9: Have you ever written or thought about writing a different genre than horror?

I have! I always come back to horror because that's the genre that really had the most impact on me growing up. When I first started writing as a kid i started with a big "friday the 13th" type franchise called "Death Chime" about a killer named Arnie. Right after that I wrote a story called Runaway which was about, if memory serves, an autistic kid who ran away from home. I don't even know how I knew that word or what that was at the time and I am sure it's all completely wrong. I was like 12 and it was 1992 so that wasn't a disease that was really in the national news at the time, at least in any way I would have seen. I've dabbled in crime and wrote a short comedy that Kelly Marie Tran was one of the stars of. Just casually name-dropping someone starring in "The Last Jedi", no big. One of the best things I've written is a western, well, a post-apocalyptic western called The Devil's Hand. Even in Demonic and Other Tales there are a couple stories that aren't exactly horror. One being Prelude which is a sort of dystopian tale and the other being Looking Glass which is a girl dealing with her self-hatred. So yeah, I've touched on other things but horror will always be home to me.

We've all had brushes with greatness. I get that you "know" Kelly Marie Tran, but I have had a prolonged EMAIL CONVERSATION with an amazing stand-up and podcaster named Jimmy Pardo. So.. you know I can namedrop as well. I know people. I met him in Dayton once and Cincinnati a different time. We're tight like that. (editor's note: remember, Garon is the "intern" for Jimmy Padro's podcast, "Never Not Funny".)

Question 10: Fill in the blanks: I find that I am mostly _____. Others find that I am mostly _____.

This is the hardest question yet. I’ve had to turn to Facebook for help.

Out of the responses I got, this one struck me the most:

I find that I am mostly lost,. Others find that I am mostly on the right path.

It’s an interesting thing to see someone say. I do feel lost some times and it is really touching to know that someone, maybe even someones, think I am on the right path. Still, after a rough couple of years it’s a real new life. I’m sort of rediscovering who I am and it’s an interesting process. Wow I feel like this went way deeper than you might have been after.

You would be surprised how deep some of these questions end up going, especially with how relatively (deceptively) "simple" some of them are. This one is always interesting because so many people's self perception does not match how others perceive them. Yours is a perfect example.

Question 11: What is one small thing that you would like to add into your life? (Nothing earth-shattering, I'm not asking for sweeping lifestyle changes here)

An automatic cat litter box. I love my cats but i've been cleaning litter boxes for 16 years. I'm a little sick of it.

I completely understand that one. I hated cleaning out the cat litter when we had cats. It seems so tiresome because you are never really done. The second after cleaning out the boxes (we had three cats once upon a time) there was a line of cats waiting to poop in the fresh litter. Sometimes they stared at my while doing it.

I know that we touched on this a little with Question 10, but this question is just too good not to ask (even though I think we touched upon it a little already). It is a deceptively simple question, that pedants might parse very peculiarly So, Question 12: Are you happy?

I'm getting there. I have some work to do to get there but I think I am on the way. There are aspects of my life I am happy with but to say that Yeah I am happy would be disingenuous. I'm not. I don't fully have the career I want, I have a lot of debt, I have challenges directly in my path that I am hoping to avoid. But, there are times, when I am sitting in my apartment, playing a game or just listening to a record where I feel happy knowing that this is mine and I am doing okay. It's those brief moments that I know I am going the right way and that sooner rather than later I'll be able to answer that question with a yes.

I think that it is always important to remember that Happiness is a process and not necessarily a destination. You seem like you are happier in the NNF interactions I have heard lately, and it seems like you are talking the steps necessary to get into a better frame of mind. I am happy for you.

Question 13: Do you have any superstitions or rituals?

I had to really think about that one. I don't think I do. My dad always warned me to put my right shoe on first and never to walk across a handicapped sign. A friend of mine wont "split" poles. In terms of my writing, I almost always start with a title does that count as a ritual? Maybe I should develop some maybe that would help push me into a more creative frame of mind. There are times i settle in to write, grab some chips and soda and then end up looking a youtube cover songs for hours so that might be a ritual. Probably not a good one.

I would define a ritual as a specific methodology to put yourself into a correct level of readiness. For example, a recent comic book writer that I interviewed had to complete a crossword puzzle prior to doing any writing. For me as a kid, I would get dressed for soccer in a very specific sequence to get myself in the correct headspace for playing the game. The examples you give about the right show first and the handicapped sign avoidance seem more like superstitions.

I find that people who do not have a meditative practice or are no longer religious do not have many rituals in their lives. Religion and self reflection tend to come with ritual.

Question 14: Do you have any (what you would consider) guilty pleasure pop culture vices?

I've come around to the position that there are no such things as guilty pleasures. I feel like that might be unfair to whatever it is you like. If you enjoy it, dammit enjoy it. Who cares what other people think? I love Taylor Swift, I love Hanson, I love pop music, I don't need to let some idiot judge me for it. There was a time when I was afraid of the stuff I liked because of what it might reveal about myself. Like, "I can't let people know I like the Indigo Girls or Bette Midler they'll know I'm gay." Guess what, who cares? They made amazing music. I hate that we still sort of have this stigma about things that we love. It's mass snobbery. Let people enjoy what they enjoy. You enjoy what you enjoy. I'll bump mmmbop and be happy doing it!

I love that philosophy. I really do. I think there is too much ironic liking of things that is actual just straight up liking things with some shame for liking something that the person "should not" like.

Question 15: Why do you think that there is still stigmas associated with liking things that people "shouldn't?" and do you think in the age of the Internet that this stigma will start to lessen?

I honestly don't know the answer to that question. I don't know that it's changed much. Look at Justin Bieber. Perfect example. Every single he puts out is a huge hit. Despacito is a huge hit BECAUSE OF JUSTIN. Yet it's a joke or embarrassing, to be a fan of his. It's not just teeny bopper girls buying his records. It's not just them watching these videos and making Despacito nearly the most watched video in YT history. They're a powerful demographic but they aren't doing that on their own. I think with each new generation, maybe this phenom will start to go away, especially with the increase in LGBTQIA identification. I hope we are coming a more open and friendly society and that soon everyone can be free to enjoy the music they enjoy without some douche nozzle making a joke out of it. I think we need to get through this powder keg Trump era first, assuming we do. Look, I like Justin Bieber, I like Lady GaGa, I like Hanson, but guess what, I also like Fleetwood Mac, Metallica, and what's another band people find "respectable?" I probably like them too. Difference being, I think all of these artists are respectable. Other people for whatever weird reason, don't and that's sad.

It is sad that people don't feel like they can like what they like. You have helped me rethink some of my loves that I might be a bit bashful about.

Question 16: Is there a line of questioning or a specific question you have been expecting from me?Not really. I wasn't sure what to expect. I like how we've touched on all sorts of different things and even allowing for some personal experiences and feelings. You're digging deep!

Oh, digging deep is definitely an issue. Sometimes I find myself in the hole I am trying to dig out of. This a relatively fun method of getting to know the people I ask 20 Questions. I don't know about you, but I know significantly more about you than I did before. You know I exist, so that's significantly more than before this conversation.

Question 17: What is the next exciting thing for you coming up from a pop culture perspective?I am beyond stoked for IT. I read through the book again in advance of seeing it and I’m already all in for it. I have the poster hanging on my wall and my excitement level grows everyday it gets closer. Of course, I’m also super excited for the next Star Wars movie. As I’m answering this I am watching an XBOX event announcing games and details about the XBox One X so I am getting really stoked for that, especially for this crazy little game called Cuphead which is done in this old style cartoon animation. It looks super fun.

I have found that one should not get excited for Stephen King adaptations... they seem to rarely live up to the hype and there are way more misses than there are hits. Now, Cuphead looks absolutely gorgeous... that 1930's animation style is killer.

Okay, it is now the time of the 20 Questions where I turn the tables. This is always unnerving, because the predator has become the prey. Question 18: Do you have any questions for me?

What's the weirdest and what's the most profound thing you learned from doing these interviews?

Those is are super interesting questions. The first part I don't believe I have ever been asked, but the second part I have been asked before in a slightly different manner...

What is the weirdest?... hmmm Not sure about the weirdest, but the most fun was that one person called his sister "poopypants." His sister happens to be Adrianne Palicki, which puts the "poopypants" comment into a much better context.

As far as the most profound... The most profound thing that I have taken away from the number of interviews I have done, is that people do not take much time to stop and think about themselves very much (even people who have a very strong self-reflection practice such as meditation), and that when in a long form asynchronous conversation, it makes people slow down and react to themselves somewhat.

Okay, penultimate question!

Question 19: What are you taking from these 20 Questions that you did not bring with you?That I should take time to stop and think about myself.

That answer is only partially meant as a joke. It's something I don't do. I simply exist. I go to work. I come home. I never sit down and consider. I don't consider what I am doing, what I am after, what I mean to myself or to anyone else. I just get through the day which isn't really any way to live. There are things I want to do, plans I want to make, I just need to get to work doing them and I think my sort of walls of avoiding any kind of serious self consideration or reflection are hurdles I have to clear so I can find a path to being the best me.

It is very easy for people to get into a very comfortable place that allows for running on autopilot. That is something that I try to use these 20 Questions to keep me from doing. Of the 20 Questions I ask, 9 or 10 of them are consistent from person to person, but the other half of the questions must be driven by the previous answers. So, after asking about cake or pie, I have to be engaged and try to think of something novel to ask. Sometimes it works, and sometimes I do not hit my intended target. I think it would be beneficial for most people to put something in their life that absolutely requires being present, it is something I attempt to do often, but it is also something I consistently neglect to do.

I know you never thought you would get here, but... Question 20: What's next? Be as vague or as specific, as concrete or philosophical, and as near term or long term as you would like.

I don't know is the grand, existential answer. I'm still trying to kick off a career and doing what I can to make that happen. If anyone out there needs a screenwriter, here I am! Smaller scale though, I have another book coming out soon called The Darkest Hours which is a collection of 4 short novellas and I am working on some more stories for another collection, of course I'm still a part of NNF and people can always see my nonsense on Twitter. there is some talk about my doing another podcast or a YouTube show. We'll see if that pans out. I've been really lucky that people have liked the work I've done so far and even featured it on a podcast like The NoSleep Podcast. It's really exciting. I can just keep going until something big happens, and I am sure it will. The last year has been trying and personally I'm growing and changing more now than I think I ever have. I'm excited to see what's coming down the road.

To recap:Irma… wow, IrmaWhat Irma did in the CaribbeanWow… brutalI already have an interview ready for next weekI am on itSuch a good bloggerThe lovely wife competed in her first Triathlon Sprint on Sunday

She is pretty sure that it was her lastSuper unhappy with open water swimmingBut she did great for her first TriThe Lord of the Rings movie trilogy holds up pretty wellThere are issues with it to be sureBut it holds pretty good for a special effects movie from 15 years agoThe wife still loves Viggo coming through Helms Deep’s doors

She likes it an inordinate amountI need to look at some new KickstartersAny suggestions for Kickstarters?I also need to draw a bunch moreThat would happen if I were not so tired when I got homeI need to exercise more as wellCan any of you make any of this happen?I am entertaining all concepts at the momentAnyway…Have a great week everyone

Tomorrow is my 20th wedding anniversary to my lovely and amazing wife, Tuesday. She is amazing and since this anniversary is divisible by 5, it is special. Anyway… I am devoting these 20 Questions to be all about “20 Years of Marriage.”

1. What is your advice for maintaining a healthy relationship?Communication… and that weird gluten free strawberry cake thing from Fresh Thyme.

2. What was your favorite anniversary celebration? For our 5th anniversary we went to London for a week and did the touristy stuff as well as seeing the Lion King at the Lycium in the West End. I also saw the ugliest baby ever there... it was in a pram, and it was hideous enough that I woke my violently ill wife to tell her what I saw.

3. Do you follow the "anniversary gift progression"? ... 5th Wood, 10th Tin, 15th Crystal, 20th China, 25th Silver, 30th Pearl, etc.We are very atypical that way. For example, for our 20th we have decided to go with shoes. We honor tradition by eschewing it. Fluevogs for 20, bitches!

4. Ever forgotten your anniversary? Has she?Funny story, for the longest time my wife couldn’t remember the day of our anniversary. I finally told her a mnemonic for it about 8 years ago and she finally started remembering it consistently. That being said, I do not think that either of us have ever actually missed an anniversary.

5. Mawwiage…

Wuv, twoo wuv...

6. What is your favorite meal she makes for you?She is a baker more than a cook, so I would go with her Lemon Tart or Lemon Curd doughnuts.

Lemon Tart

7. What is the thing that you cook that she could do without?Orange Rice… truth be told we both don’t like Orange Rice anymore, and she makes it as well. The kids still eat the hell out of it.

8. Would you have bet on yourself to make it 20 years, if there had been a wager?I am not sure I would have made that bet at that time. I knew we had a solid 10 in us though.

9. What advice would you give your newlywed self if you could pull him aside?Grow up and pull your weight.

10. How have your fights/disagreements changed over the decades?We now know that many of the fights we are/were getting into are/were about deep internal patterns that are manifesting as conflict between us. Early on we would have just thought the other one was doing it on purpose.

11. Can you point to any specific thing(s) that you like or dislike solely from your spouse's influence? (I now try to catch all David Simon television series because of my husband's passion for The Wire).I have an appreciation for Prince that I never would have without knowing her.

12. Assuming you are largely on the same page regarding the big stuff (money, child rearing, tv shows, etc.), was that always the case? Who had to bend more to get you to alignment?I think we have been mostly aligned on the things you mentioned. If there were differences they were minor, like the difference between vanilla ice cream and vanilla bean ice cream. I would say that it was a give and take as to who bent more for alignment (because I think that it they were not significant bends).

13. Which year has been the hardest so far? (Year 3 was the worst).That’s an interesting one… I actually have asked the wife for her input on this as well. It turns out we both agreed with was year 12. On the same page! Yeah, SUCKERS! Unified Front, FTW! WE BOTH AGREE THAT THE 12TH YEAR WAS THE WORST!!! WOOOOO!

14. Like us, you married quite young. In what ways have you grown up, and in what ways has she?I think in all ways we have grown up. We were so young and dumb. So Young… so dumb. One of us more dumb… some might have said dumber.

15. What is the biggest surprise 20 years in?That there are still surprises. I would have thought that by now we would know everything about each other, but we don’t. There are constant revelations about each other, even this far into the relationship.

16. What do you know at 20 that you did not know at 10?Wow… I have to think back to 10 and remember something… I would say the biggest thing about 20 v 10 is that at 20, we are able to name some of the arguments, because we have been arguing them so much they are like old friends. I have named one of them Shecky... Shecky knows what he did.

17. How did 20 go by so fast?We had kids and everything sped the fuck up. It is September already… It seems like yesterday it was 2010.

18. What was the best part of your wedding day?This sounds corny as corny-poo, but seeing my bride walk down the aisle. After that I would say the reception was pretty killer. My wife danced until she could not feel her feet and I chatted with just about everyone. The food was killer. All in all it was an amazing day.

19. What is the most insufferably cute thing you two did during your 20 years of marriage? Prior to having kids we would read to each other before going to bed. It continued a bit after Little Man was born. This reading aloud to each other started with the complete “Lord of the Rings” and then went to Tamera Pierce’s Tortall series. We did the Bartimaeus Trilogy(I see there is a 4th book of Barty now), The Castings Trilogy, The Bitterbynde Trilogy (don’t read this one… terribly unsatisfying end [it was really good right to the very end]), and a few standalone novels as well. Disgustingly cute. I am not really even very sure why I am writing this down. I now expect a good bit of mockter from the people in my life who mock… there are so many people in my life who mock.

20. So who do you think won in this relationship? We live in ‘Merica and here there are winners and losers. Who won, snowflake? And none of that “we both won” crap.The winner of this contest of marriage really depends on who is asking and to whom they are asking. People who know me more than my wife feel that I am punching above my class. People who know my wife think she is amazingly lucky to have a guy like me… That being said, we all know that I won and she lost.

To recap:I wonBoy did I winBy a landslideMy friend who had the tumor removed from his noggin is back home and restingThat is a good thingThis weekend, I went to the MappariumIt was pretty amazing

Mapparium Selfie

If you are in Boston, have 15 minutes and $6 to spare, you should totally goUgh, reading to each other aloud?I feel sick thinking about itThat a bit cloyingly sweet, isn’t it?UghI’m glad we aren’t doing that crap anymoreI think we did the Harry Potter books as well... Good Lord... I am disappointed in myself right now I’m really not proud about itOkay, maybe a little proudTo celebrate our 20th anniversary we are going to Little Man’s curriculum nightHow romanticHave a great week

This week I have the absolute pleasure of asking Sammi Grant 20 questions. Sammi is an accent coach that I became aware of due to a Buzzfeed video wherein she rapidly and distinctly demonstrates 12 different accents in English.

Language, especially spoken language and how it is spoken, has always been an interest of mine. That is one of the reasons that I listen to the History of English podcast and seek out dialect coaches. Sammi is quite facile with sliding between dialects and accents. She is able to describe the differences in how she produces the accents even in a few minute video. Other than her accent abilities and the information I was able to find on her website, I know next to nothing about Sammi. She seems delightful in her video, so without further ado, let's get into 20 Questions with Sammi Grant.

In a previous professional life I was a map-maker. I absolutely love hearing people's stories of place and what their specific geographic footprint is. For example, I was born just outside of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. My family moved to Montgomery, Alabama when I was 3 and then up to the Birmingham, Alabama area soon after. I basically grew up in a suburban community called Center Point to the northeast of Birmingham. I went to college at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio where I met the woman I was soon to marry. I followed her to gradschool at Ohio State University, and she and I have made our lives in the Columbus, Ohio area since grad school. Question 1: What is your geographic story?

There really is not much of a story here. I was born and raised in a northwest suburb of Chicago called Buffalo Grove. I moved about 2 ½ hours south of there to attend college at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL. After college, I moved to Chicago proper and have lived there ever since. My geographic adventures are still to come. Iam hoping to go to grad school next year, and my dream school is in London. After that, I don’t know where I will end up. Perhaps I will stay in London or move to New York.

Question 2: Have you traveled a bunch? How did you become interested in accents if you haven't lived in many places?

I have traveled some but not much. As a child, my family took road trips all over the country, but I don’t remember most of them. When I was twelve, we went to England, Ireland, and France. However, I don’t remember being particularly fascinated by accents on that trip. My most significant amount of travel has been to Disneyworld, which I have been to at least fifteen times.

I was first struck by accents when a couple of British relatives camet o visit my extended family in the Chicagoland area when I was young. I remember writing down British phrases, like “jumper” means “sweater,” told to me by my great cousin Helen. We were at a restaurant, and I wrote these phrases on the back of a paper placemat.

I became interested in accent work as a potential career while I was in college. I went to school for Acting, and in my junior year I had to take a class on the International Phonetic Alphabet and dialects. I was really taken with the work and ended up continuing with independent studies and later was the TA for that original class I took. I am legally blind, which seemed to enhance my abilities with voice work as opposed to some of my other acting classes where it was sometimes an obstacle.

I have always loved accents as well. I noticed from a very young age that here are many different southern accents as a kid. The sounds of southern aristocracy vs dirt farmer accent in Alabama, vs a straight up Texas drawl. I am sure I will circle back around for some questions on accents in just a little bit, but it is time for my usual question 3 for these interviews.

So let's go with Question 3: Cake or pie? Which kind specifically and why?

I generally prefer pie over cake. I am not a big fan of frosting, so cake has never really struck my fancy. My favorite pie is French Silk. I love the combination of the crunchy, creamy, and chocolate flakes. This is the first kind of pie I ever had, and it has been my favorite ever since.

French Silk Pie

I love French silk pie as well; it was the first "sophisticated" pie I ever tried. That being said though, lemon meringue is my favorite pie ever. I love how you go through slightly different textures in you bite, but it is all informed by the tartness of the lemon. I like it better than key-lime because key lime is way more homogeneous. My mom decorated cakes as a side job when I was a kid, so I think I might have over-caked myself... pushing me towards pie.

So, let's get back to accents. You accent work fascinates me because of how easily you shift from one to another in the video from Buzzfeed. I would imagine that you started out with a typical Chicago/Northwestern Illinois area accent, having grown up there, so... Question 3: Do you typically talk with a that accent, you grew up with or is there an accent that you have gravitated towards since studying accents?

I did grow up with a Midwestern accent with those nasal, flat vowels like I demonstrate in my BuzzFeed video. As I went through voice training in college and developed my work as a dialect coach I made efforts to shift my accent more towards General American. This is what you hear from most newscasters and TV/film actors. IT is a standard, non-regional American sound. I think of this as my professional voice. When I am with friends and family, I don’t care if my natural accent comes out as many of those close to me also have Midwestern accents.

I grew up watching the news all the time. In fact, I find myself doing those weird Tom Brokaw slurred vowel shifts and diphthongs from time to time. Since my parents are both from Northeast Ohio and I spent so much time watching newscasts I do not have a southern/Alabama accent. However, if I have had too much to drink I find a bit of Alabama peeking out from behind my de-accented midwest. I don't drink much anymore, so that doesn't happen very often now.

Question 4: Is there an accent that you enjoy dropping into and find yourself unconsciously speaking with?

Oh there are many. I slip in and out of accents all of the time. I most often drop into London, Brooklyn, and transatlantic. When I am coaching an accent for a show, I tend to speak in the accent a lot even when I am not working. IT helps me keep the accent fresh.

That transatlantic accent seems like it would be a fun one to drop into for almost any occasion. The bright staccato delivery is so wonderful. The way it became the accent of choice for 1930's and 40's movies.

I promise I will not ask all 20 questions about accents, but I find them so insanely interesting. Question 5: What was the most difficult accent for you to learn and why?

The most difficult accent for me to personally learn and master was a general Spanish. IT shares many similar phonetic sounds with Eastern European accents. My whole heritage is Eastern European, so my Spanish would often lean towards Russian in the beginning. I am happy with my Spanish accent now, and I have coached many different specific Spanish accents. However, I cannot as easily slip into that sound as some of my other accents.

That makes perfect sense. I have played roleplaying games in the past wherein it was necessary for the character to have an accent. I often found myself sliding between a Scottish burr and a Russian accent, mainly because the Scots Burr took less concentration.

So you stated previously that your dream school is in London and that New York is a possibility for you as well. Question 6: Aside from locations associated with pursuing your advanced degrees and education, is there a place that you would like to live or travel?

I would really like to go to South Africa. I did a one woman show in college called The Syringa Tree that mostly took place in South Africa. I feel a strong draw to the country and culture and would really love to experience it in person.

That sounds super interesting. I have a friend in Joburg who draws comic books for a living. He really loves it there, but seems to have issues with the power grid there browning out fairly often. It sounds like it could be a very nice place to visit and experience. I hope you can make it there soon then.

Question 7: Do you have a day job or is being an accent coach your primary job?

I do not have a “day job”. I am a full-time freelance dialect/vocal coach. I also do a little bit of voiceover work, but my main focus is the coaching.

This is absolutely great. I was not sure of the Chicago area would support an accent coach. I would have guessed that New York City or LA would support an accent coach but was unsure of Chicago. I think, sometimes, I forget just how big Chicago is.

Question 8: Do you enjoy linguistics as well as accents, or do you place yourself firmly into only accents?

I have never really had the opportunity for in-depth study of purely linguistics. I found accent coaching through the avenue of theatre as I went to school for acting. I would love to be able to study linguistics, but I just have not found the time yet. Perhaps in the future.

Concerning linguistics... during my senior year of high school my family hosted an exchange student from Germany. He clearly had a knack for language. He spoke (at the time) fluent French, English, and (of course) German. I think he could passably speak some Spanish and Italian at the time as well. We went our separate ways and I lost touch with him for many years. When I did get in contact with him again he was teaching linguistics at the University of Texas and had specialized in the Jamaican patois. So a northern German teaching Jamaican patois in the Texas south. That is an accent I would love to hear. (Hey, Lars!)

Question 9: Please fill in the blanks. Others find that I am mostly _______. I find that I am mostly ______.

Others find that I am mostly ambitious and witty.

I find that I am mostly stressed out goofy

Stressed and goofy is a good combination. There are worse ways to perceive oneself... way better than enigmatic and spooky.

There is a little bit of a disconnect between how you feel others perceive you and how you feel you perceive you. Question 10: Why do you think people consider you to be ambitious and what can you do to help yourself feel less stressed out?

Others find me ambitious, because I am. I have always had big dreams for my life. While they have not always stayed the same, I always have a plan for my future. I would use that word to describe myself as well; stressed out is just a stronger feature from my point of view.

I am stressed out, because I have a lot going on. My job is not traditional, so I often work long hours and sometimes have work every single day of the week. Being stressed out is not necessarily a bad thing. I would rather be busy than not have work.

One of the problems associated with working for yourself is that you can always be working. It is difficult to set aside and protect the time you have to not work. I have found that only ambitious people tend to work for themselves, because that level of ambition is necessary to motivate one to work for themselves. I work in a nice corporate gig that allows me to go home at night and not fret about it. My wife, she works for herself and is significantly more ambitious than I am... and stressed because work/life balance is difficult.

So, I picture you sitting and intently listening to high quality audio of various dialects and pouring over the diction to determine how to Instruct others in how to properly enunciate an "r" sound for a South Carolinian aristocratic accent. You nod, make a note, take your headphones off, and close your laptop. Now I am certain that this mental recreation is clearly flawed and wholly inaccurate, but that is not why I am setting up this theatre of the mind. I want people to think about you working and then deciding it is time to take a break. Question 11: What do you do in your downtime? Do you have any downtime? What do you do when you are not working?

I definitely have down time. I am a big fan of napping during down time. I also enjoy watching TV and reading, though I tend to rewatch the same shows and reread the same books. I also enjoy going out with my friends to shows or bars on the weekends. I love going out dancing, even though I am not a very good dancer!

Napping I a great past-time. More people need to look into it as a hobby. Most people do not consider it a past-time as much as they consider it being lazy. Those people are wrong.

Question 12: Multi-part question... What is your favorite TV show? What is your favorite book? Do you have a guilty pleasure TV show or book genre?

There are boatloads of great YA titles out there. One of my favorite YA authors is Tamora Pierce. I love her Tortall series.

So here we are at 13. So, Question 13: do you have any superstitions or rituals in your day-to-day life?

The Tortall series is my second favorite book series after Harry Potter. I love those books and re-read them often.

I don’t really have any personal day-to-day superstitions or related rituals. It is a big superstition in the theatre world that it is unlucky to say Macbeth in a theatre, and I do respect that tradition.

The theatre has some odd traditions... from the "Scottish King" to "Break a Leg."

So I did a 20 Questions with a very lovely tech podcaster (Patrick Beja)a while ago, wherein he asked me a very simple yet profound question. After that point I tried to make sure I asked it in all of my 20 Questions interviews. Then Mikey Neumann (another 20 Questions Tuesday interviewee) pointed out the fallacy of the structure of the question. So I have modified Patrick Beja's simple question to include Mikey's nuance. A bunch of preamble to this question. Question 14: Overall, do you feel that you are happy?

This is a difficult question for me to answer as I do not feel there is a simple response. At my core, I tend towards anger rather than joy. A lot of this has to do with being blind. While I do not let my blindness hold me back from the things I want to do, there is still an underlying anger that I am blind in general. I think you will find this with a lot with people who have disabilities or chronic diseases. This is why my humor tends towards sarcasm and my neutral face always looks slightly angry or judgmental. All that being said, I try hard to put out positive rather than negative energy into the world. I truly believe that if you put out positivity into the universe, the universe will send you positivity back. So I strive to bring joy to others and myself. Happiness doesn’t come naturally for me, but I work to bring it into my life.

So to give you a simple answer- It depends on the day.

This is a very heartfelt and unexpectedly affecting answer. I can only imagine how there would be an underlying layer of anger at the universe for having to deal with a disability or chronic illness. It makes sense that the anger exists, it is just not something I had thought of. That really sucks, and it sucks that you have to deal with it. That being said, I am glad that there are at least some days that you are happy often enough to say "So to give you a simple answer - It depends on the day."

So... Not to put you on the spot and speak for an entire group, but... Question 15: How can I, as a sighted person, be a better ally for people with visual impairments?

The biggest way you can be an ally to the blind community is to assume a blind person is capable of everything until they tell you they are not. We might do things in slightly different ways than sighted people, but we have methods to deal with most situations. For example, I am able to walk around and cross busy streets by myself. I cannot tell you the number of times I have been preparing to cross a street when someone comes up and grabs me by the arm, without even asking, because they assume I can’t cross the street by myself. I am standing at the street corner alone. Obviously, I planned to cross the street alone. This leads me to my other point- always ask before you try to help a blind person. Never touch them without talking and getting permission first. How would you feel if a random stranger just came up and grabbed you without a word? Now, imagine not being able to see the person.

Another great way to be an ally is to advocate for blind people in the workplace. The unemployment rate in the blind community is at 70%. As I said before, blind people can do most anything a sighted person can do, just maybe in a different way. Years ago, when I was trying to get a day job, I had so many potential employers express surprise when I said I could use a computer. It is this kind of prejudice of helplessness that keeps so many blind people from even being considered for jobs.

It never surprises me the arrogance and presumption of well-meaning ignorant people. It alarms me and disturbs me, but does not surprise. Again, thank you for a very well crafted and honest answer.

Question 16: Is there a question you were expecting from me that I have not asked?

NO, not that I can think of.

Good, I did not want to disappoint by not asking something you were expecting.

Question 17: What is one thing that you would like me to know about you that we haven't chatted about yet?

I honestly feel we have covered all of the bases from my work to my interests/hobbies to my blindness. An interesting fact I can share is that I went skydiving two summers ago.

I bet that was quite the experience. I have always been mildly interested in skydiving. I cannot say that it has ever been a strong interest, or I think I would have made it happen by now, but I have been pleasantly curious about skydiving since I was a kid. You are right though, this 20 Questions has gone all over the place.

It is time for the tables to be turned... Question 18: Are there any questions that you have for me?

How long have you been doing this "20 questions" blog?

Well, the initial version of the blog started in 2004 during the heyday of blogging. A few years of simple daddy blogging led to massive writer's block and I asked some friends to send in some questions to answer. I decided on 20 Questions because of the name of the word game people play, and I chose Tuesday because it is my wife's name and therefore my favorite day of the week. So in addition to my usual posts I would do a 20 Questions Tuesday post every Tuesday. Eventually the other posts dropped off and the only posts I was doing were these 20 Questions posts. The first official 20 Questions Tuesday was on April 18th, 2005. So I have been doing this relatively consistently for 12 years. I did not start interviewing people until a few years after that. I started by interviewing other bloggers and then that radiated out to comedians and comic book artists. Since then I have been circling more outward and asking people I find interesting, such as yourself.

So here we are at the penultimate question. Question 19: What are you taking from these 20 Questions that you did not bring in with you?

I am not necessarily taking anything brand new away with me. However, this process has reaffirmed my dislike of writing. This is nothing against you and this specific exchange. I just so much more prefer to converse through talking rather than writing. My entire job is about communicating orally and teaching others how to expand and explore the range of their voice. I find writing boring and less expressive. As I am sure you have noticed, it takes me a while to respond to each of your questions. This is partly because I am very busy. The other part is that I just don’t want to sit down and write. However, writing is a part of life, and something I need to always continue developing, especially since I plan to get a masters degree. That masters thesis is not going to write itself.

I am very grateful that you have stuck with this process then. I completely understand why this is a medium that might not work super well for you, and am impressed by your determination to follow this long and drawn out process to its completion. Please accept my sincere apology for anything in this process that was uncomfortable. That was not my intention, but it still sounds like it was your reality.

I have been toying with the idea of creating a accompanying podcast to this blog, but I have not fleshed out this concept much and really feel like I would need help to make it happen.

Well... here we are at the last question. Question 20: What's next? Be as vague or as specific, as concrete or philosophical, and as near term or long term as you would like.

Here is the short term answer. I am starting rehearsals for three shows here in Chicago: Billy Elliot the Musical, The Invisible Hand, and 1980 or Why I’m Voting for John Anderson. I am starting to make a dent in my waiting list of people who have reached out in response to the BuzzFeed video for dialect coaching or accent modification. This October, I will most likely be applying to grad school. I am also working on developing my stand-up comedy.

Here is my long term response: I would like to get my masters and start teaching at the college level in addition to my dialect coaching for Theatre and TV and possibly film one day. I would eventually like to get married and maybe have children.

I think all of those things you have outlined seem imminently doable, and I wish you luck with each and every one of them.

I want to take this time to thank you for bearing with me through this process. If I ever get the opportunity to meet with you in person, I promise not to ask for tips on getting my Scottish burr more correct.

Sammi is amazing and everyone should learn more about her. Go to her website, SammiGrant.com and see what she can offer, I really enjoyed chatting with her and an very happy she stuck with this process even though it was not the most comfortable process for her to interact. I really need to get my podcast up and running.

To recap:Houston is really messed up right nowI have a friend who is getting a brain tumor removed from his noggin today (editors note: Surgery went as well as hoped)Many of us are pulling for himI know that I would not be where I am today without his helpLittle Man has a cross country meet today at 6Q has a practice she has to be across town for at 5:30

Wonder Parents Powers! Separate!Form of someone watching cross countryShape of someone who remotely cares about horsesLooks like we will need to split up to cover these eventsNext week my wife and I will have been married for 20 yearsI like hanging out with her, but the family often requires us to watch the dumb kids separatelyWe switch who does whatBut still, could we get some events that we could both go to?Is that too much to ask?Other than The UX Podcast, does anyone know of a good User Experience podcast?I have 2 more interviews ready to publishNext week is going to be 20 Question about 20 Years of MarriageSo those 2 interviews are going to have to waitHave a great week everyone

Yesterday was the pretty interesting astronomical event wherein the moon came between me and my sun… my pretty, pretty sun. It made me sad, super sad to see the light of our star dimmed by a dumb rock that revolves around us, tugging at our water greedily. I used my mind to push it back out of the way.

Ummm… I mean, yesterday in the US there was a solar eclipse, and now I have decided to cast my eyes away from the penumbra cast by this event and type this out while wearing polarized glasses.

Thanks this week go to Bruce, Scott, Brian, and some other guy. Now… onto the questions.

1. When drawing an eclipse do you typically make it longer on the north-south or east-west axis? Oh, wait… I thought you said ellipse.My ellipses are typically longer from left to right than from up to down.

2. Any superheroes other than Moon Knight that get their powers altered by an eclipse?I looked at a couple of superhero wikis and did not see anything super specific about altered capabilities due to lunar or solar eclipses… that being said, I did not look very hard…. But there are some villains...

Moon Knight

3. What is the strangest superstition you know of about an eclipse?Most of the legends and lore surrounding eclipses revolve around myths and legends about how the moon god/goddess interrupts the sun god/goddess. There is some weird shit about pregnancy and birth during a solar eclipse, but there does not seem to be many modern superstitions and myths about eclispes. The Internet has also done a great job making ancient people seem like idiots because of their “solar eclipse beliefs,” but I imagine that many of those ancient practices were more of a ritual and less of a belief. I mean the eclipse is just a cover to spray us with chemicals while everyone is looking at the sun… WAKE UP SHEEPLE! (where my conspiracy theorists at?)

4. Did you get to see (1st hand) much of this eclipse?I watched the build up on a parking garage attached to one of the buildings that I work in. I did see the release of some birds from a helicopter. I am pretty sure those birds were a cover for a vaccine being released on the population.

5. How did you view this eclipse? ... internet, box-viewer, "official" viewing glasses, welder's goggles/helmet, etc?I borrowed some glasses from a co-worker as well as borrowing a cereal box pinhole viewer from a different co-worker. On the parking structure that I watched from, there was a man who was an amateur astronomer and he set up a solar telescope… that was really cool.

6. What have you learned about Eclipse Comics since I asked the question?The most interesting thing that came out of my quick read was the trading cards that Eclipse out out in the 80’s. Iran Contra, the Savings and Loans Crisis, AIDS epidemic, and Serial Killers. That is some weird shit to create collections around.

7. How do you handle the dad paranoia about your kids staring too long at the sun during this event? Did you read any scary articles to really prime the irrational fear?Funny you should mention this. My 9 year old daughter was afraid to even be outside because she did not want to go blind. I think the scare tactics to keep people from staring at the sun should have been tempered just a little. Staring into an eclipsed sun is pretty much just as dangerous as staring into a typical daytime sun. The danger is just the same, but it is much easier to do when it is eclipsed. The hype that went into this made it seem that if you accidentally looked near the sun, your eyes would melt and you would be blind.

8. Isn't Eclipse a cool enough name that we should have someone better than Eclipso to reference?One would think. I think it would be a better character if the character if the person was also a calypso dancer.

Eclipso.... looking menacing

9. Why exactly, if you have a total eclipse of the heart, is there NOTHING you can do? It seems like you should be able to do something. Like, it's only 2 minutes.Okay, a total eclipse of the heart lasts 5 minutes and 32 seconds. You are talking about the total eclipse of the sun with your 2 minutes stuff. That only lasts 2 minutes. Bonnie Tyler, she has staying power. Honestly, there really is only one thing you can do… so go ahead and do it! Turn around, Bright Eyes.

10. Did you know anyone who owned a Mitsubishi Eclipse?Yep, Jacob Richardson… from my high school… he might actually have been a Pleiadean.

11. Badge engineering is where one design is sold to multiple providers/manufacturers who produce essentially the same product with different branding. What are all the equivalencies for the Mitsubishi Eclipse from the 1990’s?The Plymouth Laser, the Eagle Talon, and the Mitsubishi Eclipse were all the. exact. Same. car.

Mitsubishi Eclipse.... look at that hood bubble for the turbo charger!

12. Favorite flavor of Eclipse gum?Winter Frost like a normal person… Not spearmint like and idiot lizard person, or that Polar Ice crap that the grey aliens enjoy… one day we will have Disclosure

13. Can I use high-end, polarized sunglasses to look at the eclipse?Ummm… no… did you damage your eyes yesterday? Wow… this question is a terrible question to ask the day after the eclipse.

14. Why is a total eclipse so rare?Well, it reeeeeeeaally isn’t that rare. It is super rare to only clip through a single solitary country (until we get to the One World Order, amiright?)... here is the deal, a total eclipse is always happening somewhere. The sun is shining and the moon is casting a shadow from that sunshine, the rarity is only because we do not intersect with that shadow very frequently.

15. Solar eclipses were often considered an omen of terrible things to come. What is the terrible thing to come?I am going to say a larger resurgence of outright, blatant, open racism… “isn’t that already happening?” you ask… well, yes, but it is going to get worse.. There will be shooting, Americans are too fond of guns for there not to be shooting. That and the planet Nirubu is going to slam into Earth on September 23rd.

16. How far would you travel to see a total solar eclipse?Less than 100 miles. It was a neat process to see the partial eclipse that I did, but I do not think the travel headaches would be worth the 2 minutes of coronal viewing. Basically I would want to stay out of remote areas, skunk ape areas, where animals act very weirdly during the solar eclipses.

17. How often do complete solar eclipses happen in Australia?Well… the mathematics of a solar eclipse are really nasty. Here is the dealio, a complete solar eclipse will happen somewhere in the world between every 1 to 2 years, but the area of effect is only 1 to 2% of the earth’s surface. Australia covers 1.5% of the earth’s surface, so getting those respective 1.5%’s to intersect is relatively difficult. It involves the intersection of non-euclidean geometry with typical planar geometry. Haha it’s not like you can get a solar eclipse to happen on a flat earth right?!? The truth is out there people. They won’t LET us to the edge. THEY always stop those expeditions.

18. Do you think you will be eclipsed by your children’s accomplishments?Goodness, I hope so. That is the whole point of having children, that and for them to eventually cut the grass, and talk to the restless spirits of the unsettled departed.

19. What is one thing you have learned about eclipses since you started writing this 20 Questions post?That there will eventually be an antumbra as the moon gets further away from the earth.

20. How large is the shadow of the moon when it is cast on the earth?Well, that depends on where you are on the earth when the shadow is cast on the earth. The further north or south you are from the Equator, the larger the shadow cast. In general it is about 100 miles across, so multiply that by pi and Bob’s your uncle. I, of course, did not get to see the shadow the way I should have because of MKUltra causing cloudcover at the most important point of our eclipse viewing in Central Ohio.

My view of the eclipse

To recap:The eclipse was awesome, yet we did not attack the Fire NationIf I am still in Central Ohio in 2024, I will be able to experience a total solar eclipseI got on the stupid treadmill this morningI hated itI watched "Supergirl" on NetflixNot sure that is going to work as a running distractionToo CBS/CW relationship angstySo much of the issues on the show could be solved with simple conversationsMaybe I will rewatch the Marvel Netflix showsOr find some crappy action moviesBut I should do that prior to getting on the treadmill in the morningI am the second heaviest I have ever beenSo, that needs to changeBut the treadmill, ugh…Adulting sucksHave a great week everyone

Do I go with nuclear threats or with rampant unchecked racism? Let’s go with the topic we can do something about as a society. Racism it is.

Over the weekend there was an “Alt Right (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi)” (Neo-Nazi)" **editor’s note: whenever I see “Alt Right, I will add a bunch of “Nazi”s after it for clarity’s sake**march at UVA because someone was going to remove a statue of Robert E Lee from a public space because Lee is a symbol of the Confederacy and a reminder to people of color of a time in the US when they would have most likely been property. It started with torches and ended in death and injury. So let’s get into the idea of racism in the US. (sorry my non-US peeps, I will be VERY US-centric for today’s post), and it’s not a very fun one.

Thanks this week go to Sandy, Nicole, Aleshia, and some other guy for the questions. No reason to wait, let’s get into it…

1. What, if anything, is the difference between Neo-Nazis, white nationalist, and Alt Right (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi)?Nothing really. At this point there is a semantic argument. What is the difference between vanilla, vanilla bean, and french vanilla ice cream? They are all basically the same, but one has visible vanilla bean seeds, and another has butter, but they really are pretty much the same damn things.

2. If it’s not too personal, may I ask how you discuss this topic with your children?Well… This super racism in the streets stuff is not something that we have typically talked with them about, but we did bring up the BLM movement and other issues up with Little Man since they are directly precipitated by the rampant killing of black men and boys by police. He has started asking questions as well when things hit the news-cycle, so we explain it to him like he’s an adult since he is 14 now. With our daughter who is 9, we leave some details out but talk pretty straight with her as well.

Keep in mind that I am the big, dumb, white-guy part of this interracial coupleship that is my marriage. My wife, who works in and around these topics of racial disparity as one of the many topics of her work... she talks to the kids about race and how it affects who they are and how they are treated all the time.

Racism is definitely a topic that we talk about because it is a topic that effects our household directly. More often we end up talking about "race" than we do about "racism" but those 2 things really go hand in hand. You cannot talk about family in an interracial family without talking about race.

3. How do you do to increase diversity in an organization?Very simple, you have to make it a core principle of the company and live by it. There is no way to prescribe it, but it needs to be taken into account when hiring. When I was in a hiring role, I kept in mind that I hear a bunch from white dudes all day, everyday, so that was something I was not looking for.

4. How is this happening in my country?Sometimes the how is not as important a question as just acknowledging the fact that it is happening. It is currently happening, right now, even as I type this. Now we need to do something about it.

5. How can I let people know that not all white people are like this?Don’t. This is not about you. Don’t make it about you. If you are white and you are good non-Nazi racist person who does everything right and doesn’t have an ounce of hate in your body, that is great, good on you, but shut the fuck up about how you are not like the Nazis. This is not about you and don’t try and make this about you. Shut up and listen and then ask how you can help. Don’t suggest, ask. Same goes for #NotAllMen

6. Heritage not hate! We should not destroy historical markers because we disagree with the history.Okay… where do I start. These statues of Confederate generals do not commemorate the plight of the Southern way of life. They were not erected to remind people of the noble sacrifice that non-slave holding southerners made in defense of their idyllic antebellum way of life. Most were erected in the 1960’s and later in direct response to the racial tensions of the 1960’s as a way to remind black people in the south that a war was fought to ensure they remain the property of others. Hell the Virginia Confederate Battle Flag (the one everyone thinks of) was not a widely accepted symbol of Southern Pride until the 60’s. It was trotted back out as a reminder to black people specifically to know their place. I would add references to this stuff, but you can Google it your damn self.

7. How do we move forward from this?Excellent question. BLM is a great resource. It is grassroots and the message there is that POC matter. Google where you live + BLM. Follow the lead of POC, white people need to assist where asked and offer to help everywhere. POC get to drive this train though, white peeps just need to keep adding fuel. Give to the NAACP or to the SPLC. I know that the ACLU seems to be persona non grata right now, but they are typically a good ally for rights, so they are a good place to donate as well.

8. Aren’t the alt-left just as bad as the Alt Right (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi)?Nope, and that is what we call a false equivalency.

9. Why does the media come down so hard on the Alt Right (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) when they are so much more forgiving to the alt-left?This is an interesting question. Number 1 it assumes that there is a group actually calling itself the alt-left. There is not. But let me try and grasp what it is you are asking about. I assume you are referring to the alt-left as BLM and Antifa… You remember the police presence and crack-down of the BLM demonstrations, right? Police in riot gear with automatic weapons and tanks to stop unarmed black people from protesting? Remember that? Or let’s go with Standing Rock. Unarmed peaceful Native American protest that was met with multiple riot squads and the national guard. Now… let’s look at the Alt Right (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) protest where a guerilla force showed up open carrying semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles and the participants were carrying clubs, weapons, and shields. Where was the police crack down on that. The second things went sour there should have been police to break it up. How did a Nazi get into his car and get close enough to a group of anti-protesters to kill one person and injure many others? No, the police went at the Alt Right (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) with kitten gloves.

“Antifa” means “Anti-Fascist” and is in a direct opposition of the fascist Nazi lovers out there. Where the Facist Alt Right (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) wants POC to not be, Antifa doesn’t want them to have that ability.

10. Aren’t these Alt Right (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) (Nazi) just a small but vocal minority?The most virulent one are, but the sympathetic people are not. They are our neighbors, our co-workers, our classmates, some of our Facebook friends, our IRL friends, and even our family. Keep in mind that Germany in the 1940’s, it was the neighbors, co-workers, friends, classmates, and families that sent their neighbors, co-workers, friends, classmates and families to the gas-chambers and ovens. Not everyone actually dropped the gas pellets, but some people drove the trains.

11. OKAY SERIOUSLY I JUST READ ABOUT TRUMP’S PRESS CONFERENCE. FUCK THIS SHIT HE IS AN AVOWED RACIST AND IS INCITING THE NAZI ELEMENTS IN THIS COUNTRY. I SERIOUSLY THINK HE IS TRYING TO UNRAVEL THE COUNTRY. HE IS MADE OF RACIST DOG-WHISTLES AND UNEARNED CONFIDENCE. I’M DONE WITH THIS POST. SCREW THIS SHIT. I AM BEYOND ANGRY

12. What

13. The

14. Fuck?

15. I

16. Mean,

17. Who

18. Sides

19. With

20. Nazis?

To recap:Only 10 question because I am so pissedRents were in town this weekendDad came walking in with a red ballcap with writing on itThe writing was not the MAGA sloganBuuut it was slogan adjacentMight have to have a chat with him about it this weekendBecause they are coming back this weekendGOODAMN IT! MY PRESIDENT IS A OFFICIALLY A RACIST JACKASSBefore he was at least a “tended toward racist” and definitely a jackassI am so incredibly angryBut I have work tomorrowI will most likely have an interview for next week’s postWe are on question 20Dumb work tomorrowGetting in the way of my wanting to sit and stew at the repugnance of the executive branch of my governmentBe nice to each other out thereTry and have a nice week everyone

I know it's a Wednesday, I just didn't get this done yesterday. I apologize.

My parents are coming in from out of town this weekend to stay for a couple of days. So they will stay here this weekend and then go visit my mom’s family for a week and stay with us again next weekend as well. It seems to be how they visit. Honestly it kind of works in a weird “we’re not super close” kind of way. We really aren’t that close. They forgot to call on their only granddaughter’s birthday and on their second son’s birthday as well. Which is a little hurtful, but it does really speak volumes as to what my expectations should be concerning their level of interaction.

So, since my parents are coming, and I am constantly parenting at the moment, the topic this week is “Parenting.” Thanks this week go to Bruce, Sandy, Kallie, Suzanne, my lovely wife, and some other guy for donating questions.

Let’s get to it.

1. Have you noticed yourself "turning into your parent(s)"?I have been actively fighting some tendencies that I am seeing. I am trying not to be as controlling as my dad was concerning little things that really do not matter. I need to watch that pattern to make sure I do not repeat. I also need to make sure that I am not zoning out like my ‘rents did when they were reading the paper/doing word puzzles.

2. What is/are the best parenting advice/behavior you've taken from your parents?My parents truly and earnestly loved me and parented me with all the skills they had at their disposal. In some areas they came up short, and they easily covered the spread in others. I am trying to do just that as well. I love these kiddos truly and earnestly and I am trying to parent them with all the skills at my disposal. In some areas I will come up short as well, but I think I am definitely covering the spread in other areas.

3. If you and your wife were parents on a TV show who would you each want to play you?I would want to play me and I would want her to be played by Beyonce.

4. Is it even possible to get your kids to stop fighting? I'm starting to think no.We have instilled in our kids a healthy disdain for each other. They do not fight as much as they will lift their chin slightly and sneer. Train them for healthy disdain and Bob's your uncle.

5. When hosting aging parents from out of town, do your kids have to be sequestered too?Hells to the no. I think it is important that the g-parents get some in-person time with the kids, but kids need to be doing what kids need to do. If there is a sleep-over that is going on and your kid wants to go to it, make sure the kid spends some QT with the old folk, but let them have fun. Too much of adulting is wrapped up in non-fun, kids should be able to have fun in our stead.

6. What were your parenting issues at ages 3, 7, and 13?I was not a parent at ages 3, 7, and 13… I do not know what you are asking…When Little Man was 3, the biggest issue was getting him to let us do non-train things… and his asthmaWhen Q was 3, the biggest issue was her asthma flaring up and thinking about daycares for herWhen Little Man was 7, the biggest issue was me finding a job and not being a horribly depressed out-of-work dad.When Q was 7, the biggest issue was getting her to eat vegetables and fruits… still a big one.When Little Man was 13 (last year) it was constant worry about having a kid in middle school because middle school is a terrible place.Q has not hit 13 yet.

7. What do you allow you allow your children to do that you always wanted to do as a kid but were not allowed?I think we allow waaaay more time passively consuming content that is on a screen. I did not have cable growing up, these kids have youtube and twitch at their fingertips.

8. What don’t you allow your kids to do that you were allowed to do as a kid?To go places on their own. I remember walking 2 miles to meet up with a friend to watch a matinee movie when I was 10.

9. What is the hardest part of part of parenting through the slime craze?The slime being everywhere.

10. What’s for dinner?Orange rice... when in doubt orange rice.

11. Where do you think you fall in the continuum of Free-Range to Helicopter parenting?That is an interesting one to answer in a verbal format. I would say that I am relatively in the center of the continuum. I don’t really hover too much, but I also do not throw meat out the back door and let nature take care of the kiddos. I think where I am on that continuum really depends on the activity and the kids’ ages.

12. Where do you fall on the continuum of “Elephant Mom” and “Tiger Mom” continuum?Really?!?! Elephant is the opposite of a Tiger? That’s a thing? Wow… people actually are willing to call someone an Elephant Mom? Do they get hit when that happens? I have so many questions. To answer the question I lean further away from the Tiger side than toward it.

13. Have you had “the talk” with you kids yet?Which talk do you speak of? The sex talk or the talk parents of POC kids have to give their boys about police interactions? The sex talk is an ongoing horribly uncomfortable conversation with Little Man, and that other talk is coming soon for him. We are starting to have the sexuality talk with Q.

14. How good of a parent do you think you are?I feel I am pretty good. I am not the best there is, but I feel like I give it a good go.

15. How good a parent do you think your partner is?She is amazing. She is way always willing to be silly with the kids and always has the time to give them some loving. I am constantly impressed with her parenting.

16. When should your kids get cell phones?Little Man is 14 and just got a smartphone. His feature phone has been passed down to Q at the age of 9. She will not get a smartphone for a few more years (but probably before she is 14)

17. Did you co-sleep when the kids were younger?When they were younger? Q still jumps in bed with us around 3 AM every night. Co-sleeping is a great way, as working parents, that you can get physical contact time with the kids when they are young. It does not take the place of conscious interactions with the kids, but it does help. There are times that I would have loved just having a bed to only my wife and I when the kids were co-sleeping all the time, but I do think it was a good process to bond with the kiddos in a less conscious manner.

18. Vaccinations?Not even a question. Of course.

19. Did you baby-proof the house much when your kids were wee little babbies?Not too much. We felt that we needed to teach the kids that some things are bad and need to be avoided for safety reasons but are necessary in life for living. You can’t nerf the world enough to make it absolutely safe.

20. Do you judge other parents?I try not to, but of course I do. My silent judgements are harsher than my audible ones.

Te recap:The parents are coming!The parents are coming!This is not a drillSure sure there might be other more pressing matters going on in the worldBut, the parents are coming!I am alarmed by the state of my countryThere hasn’t been a solid nuke scare since the 80’sI really feel this nuclear scare life is old hatI mean seriously, WTFEnough about our impending doomMy parents are coming into town and that is enough doom for the weekI love Netflix’s Voltron seriesIt is just some lovingly madeIt harkens back to the version from my childhood without being slavish to the concepts from the first show

Wooo Voltron!Have a great weekend everyoneI hope we don’t die in a pile of “Fire and Fury”

This year was the 3rd year in a row that the family went on a guided multi-sport camping trip. And for a few years more than that the family has gone on some other family vacations either to Maine or to the Outer Banksor North Carolina. So far all of these trips have been amazing in their own way and we, as a family, have been pretty darn happy about the experiences. That is why today the topic is all about Family Vacations.

Thanks this week go to Janna Bushaw, Jared Vorkavich, Sue Ryan, Bruce Finch, Erin Findsen, Kallie Kenyon, Linda Silverio, DrJHP, the Wife and some other guy for the questions. I love seeing some new names in this section.

Onto the questions!

1. Is it easier or harder to parent on vacation?I think it is somewhat easier because the normal distractions are not there, or if they are they are only there in a diminished capacity.

2. One room or adjoining rooms when on vacation?Since there are only 4 of us, single room with 2 beds if we are staying in a place that goes by room. Lately, our trips have been either to a house we rent in the Outer Banks or in tents, so adjoining rooms are not really a thing.

3. What is your most memorable family vacation from when you were a kid? And as an adult?As a kid was a whirlwind trip to Colorado. My brother went to tour the Air Force Academy and we also got to see a big swath of Colorado. It was pretty amazing as a kid and started out my love for the mountains. As an adult, the trip to the Redwoods with Backroads was simply majestic.

4. What's the most family friendly vacation?I think I would have to say the Disney properties off-hand. They really are very accommodating to any different needs you might have whilst there, but it comes with a steep price tag.

5. Family vacation: educational vs. fun?The fun stuff can be educational, and the educational can be fun. I would say that a good family vacation has to have aspects of both. This is really not an either or question.

6. Worst family vacation ever (as an adult &/or as a kid)?Hmmm…. As a kid we did not do many family vacations. We visited grandparents a boatload, but those are not really vacations. No one wants to go to Stow, Ohio for spring break.

7. When driving on a family vacation, drive all night or during the daytime?When the kids were reeeeeeally young we would Benadryl them up and head out on the road around bedtime and drive as far as we could, but now that they are older driving during the day works great. It is amazing how just a couple of years extends the concept of delayed gratification just enough to put up with a long drive.

8. What did you learn from family vacations as a kid (good or bad) that you either embrace or avoid when taking your kids on vacation?Visiting family is not a vacation. It may be a component of a vacation, but it is not a vacation on its own.

9. What has changed about your family vacations now that your kids are older?One is traveling during the day, but also doing more active vacations. We would not go on a sea-kayaking event with sweet little tiny non-swimming babies.

10. When you only visit family and friends with no sightseeing is it really a vacation?It is not a vacation. There is no way to dress up visiting family as a vacation. It can be a small part of a vacation, but it, in and of itself, is not a vacation.

11. Preferred mode of transport: plane, train, boat, or automobile?Plane and auto. Not big on boats and have never done a long train trip.

12. Who gets to choose where to go and/or how is that choice made?Parents choose with some input from the kids. But since the parents pay, the parents choose.

13. Theme park or not?Maybe, depends on the cost and duration and park. That is al about the cost benefit ratio.

14. Weirdest thing you've ever done on vacation that you would never have done back in civilian life?Half mile long zip line… that is not going to be part of my daily life… unless I could use it to get from one building to another at work.

15. Where would you never take your family on vacation?Of the many vacation places? Hm…. I am not that interested in Asia, so I think we would not take much effort to go to Asia.

16: Is it really a family vacation if your kids are under 5?Nope, you are simply going on a vacation with a bunch of baggage that takes a bunch of effort.

17. In Home Alone Kevin’s parent’s left him, but took the other kids. Is that still a “family vacation?”I think so. Kevin was clearly the most expendable of the MacCallisters, and therefore unnecessary for a family vacation. "Home Alone?" you ask... Kids, ask your parents.

18. Is it possible to have a family “staycation” or is that only for a single member of the family when everyone else has left?Oh, a staycation is never a vacation. Never. Ever.

19. For family vacations does it make more sense to have a strong itinerary and schedule of activities or to be all seat of the pants and laissez-faire?I would say that prior to the vacation this needs to be determined. For the multi-sport vacations that we have done through different companies, having an itinerary is absolutely necessary. That being said, for the family vacations to the Outer Banks… that is supposed to be free and easy with no deadlines.

20. Where is your next family vacation going to be?Most likely the Outer Banks… but I am not sure what the one after that will be. We typically have an annual plan for the Outer Banks in June. The last 3 years we have “made” a second multi-sport vacation happen in the late summer, but I am not sure we can make that happen 4 years in a row. If so… most likely Yellowstone or the Canadian Rockies.

To recap:I am quite tiredI do not sleep well when my wife is out of townShe is in the Canada right now whilst I am hereNot sleepingTomorrow is going to come in really fast for meI have about an hours worth of work to get done before tomorrow as wellAnd I have 2 dogs who are exhausted but not willing to stopI am on question 16, question 17, question 10 and question 13 on the 4 interviews I have going currentlyBackroads is the company that we used for the three canyons trip and for the RedwoodsGet Up & GO! Is who we used for the Alaska tripI would recommend both outfitsSpeaking of outfits… I need to do some laundryHave a great week everyone

Okay, a little bit of housekeeping to start us off here. Today is Little Man’s birthday. He is 14 now and I have no idea where the years have gone. It seems like yesterday he was a whacked out on Orapred sleep deprived weirdo, but is seems that was over 10 years ago. So, happiest of birthdays to Little Man. He is growing up so fast. So incredibly fast.

Now onto today’s post. Last week the fam went on our third “adventure vacation.” 2 years ago it was a biking/multi-sport camping trip to the Redwoods in California, 1 year ago it was to Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon, and Zion in Utah and Arizona for the same kind of camping trip, and this year it was a week-long adventure vacation in Alaska where we camped and hiked and kayaked. This year was the biggest of the 3 because everything in Alaska seems bigger. I would not put it as the best (I think Redwoods will be a tough one to beat), but it was super fun.

Anyway…. This vacation has lent itself for today’s topic… Alaska. So this week thanks go to Bruce, Lsig, Brett, Chris, Nicole, and my wife since they sent me some great questions. Without further ado, let’s answer some 20 Questions!

1. Have you had Baked Alaska?Nope, I tend to stay away from flaming food.

2. Where did you go? What did you do while there?We went to the Kenai Peninsula, Matanuska River valley, and Denali National Park. We did crazy amounts of stuff. We did hiking, sea-kayaking, and a glacial sightseeing cruise in Kenai. We did a glacial hike on the Matanuska Glacier and some insane zip-lining in the Matanuska Valley. Finally, we got to pet dog sled dogs, some calm river-rafting, a wildlife bus-tour of the backcountry of Denali that culminated in a 2 to 3 mile hike along virgin Alaskan tundra. All this while camping for most of the time with a too-short 2 day stint at a lodge.

3. Ever try blubber?Are you calling me fat? I think you are calling me fat. Why would you call me fat? I am now hurting.... in my big fat insides.

4. How cold was it?No too bad. It ranged from a low of 44°F (6.667°C for my non-US friends) to a high of 78°F (25.5°C for my non-US friends). It was pretty great actually.

5. What was your favorite thing about the Alaska trip?Hmmmm… that is a tough one. The geologist geek in me absolutely loved the glacial hike on the Matanuska Glacier.

6. Would you go back?I would definitely go back, but I have more things that I want to do elsewhere prior to going back to Alaska though.

7. Was it baked?It was not baked.

8. What was the coolest thing you saw?3 Humpback whales feeding. Easily the whales.

9. What surprised you?How much of a frontier it really was. There were parts of the state that were absolutely primitive and I did not expect that at all. They did not have Frosted Strawberry Poptarts? WTF?!?

That and I had never seen the color of glacial streams before. Glacial streams have a bunch of very fine particulate matter suspended in the water called glacial flour. It colors the stream water different tints depending on what kind of rock the glacier is specifically grinding up. For example, the streams and even the waters of Resurrection Bay near Seward, Alaska were all this vibrant green blue because the glaciers feeding into that bay are grinding up slate.

10. Any Alaskan delicacies you discovered?Nothing specifically Alaskan. I had some great salmon, but that is not a fish that is solely associated with Alaska.

11. How about Baked Alaska?Nope...still did not have any Baked Alaska. Is that required or something?

12. Did you do everything you wanted?I think so. At least everything that was offered for this particular trip.

13. If it was a movie, how many stars would you give “Alaskan Vacation”?4 out of 5.

14. What was the most Alaska thing that happened while you were there?A bear wearing flannel attacked a moose with a salmon, why do you ask?

15. What would you do again?I would love to do the zip-line again. It was a ½ mile (800m for my non-US friends) long and about 250ft (around 75m for my non-US friends) tall and you get up to around 50 to 60 mph (or 80 to 95kph for my non-US friends). It was really fun… not so fun to watch your kids do it though.

16. So, is Baked Alaska good or not?Did not have it, I do not know.

17. What was the most surprising fact about Alaska?I guess it has to do with scale. I did not understand the scale of the place. Everything there is just bigger, craggier, fjordier, wider, etc…

18. What was your favorite wildlife?I loved seeing a grizzly bear mama with her cub from the backcountry bus. Whales were the coolest, but a mama bear and her cub was a favorite.

19. What are you grateful for from the trip?These trips in general tend to help the kiddos not be on the screen as much… not only while on the trip but there is a time after the trips that they just do more outside as well.

20. So baked Alaska?I know, right?

To recap:Such an amazing tripSo amazingReally amazingBut I’m backAnd now I have boatloads of work to get done this weekOne thing still needs to get done tonightAnother needs to be done by ThursdayAnd even another needs to be done by FridayOn top of all the normal amounts of work I haveI drew some on the trip thoughThat’s goodI need to finish up some of them there drawingsMy back hurtsMy hip hurtsI think it has to do primarily with the sleeping on the ground stuffPretty sure that is what it has to do withBecause I’m oldI tried to not watch the full Thor: Ragnarok trailerI tried really hard, but it is so goodNow, I have to get some work doneStop keeping me from my workHave a great week everyone

Today is the day that Americans celebrate their intention for independence from the empire building of Europe. Today is not when the US (not the US at the time) actually gained their independence, just the day that the non-loyalists publicly declared their intentions. The loyalists did not mark this day on their calendars at all.

Anyhoo… since this post actually posts on the date of the holiday, I figured I could do a 20 Questions on July 4th, but I only wanted questions from non-US citizens who are not based in the US. So thanks this week go to a First Nations Canadian from British Columbia - Chris Corrigan, a Nova Scotian Canadian nee Englishman - Tim Merry, a Frenchman who lives in Finland - Patrick Beja, a South African in Jo’burg - Justin Render, a transplant from Montevideo, Uruguay who now lives in NYC - Daniel Puch, a German from Bonn, Germany who now lives in Austin, Texas - Lars Hinrichs, and a Canadian who wants to remain nameless. Now, onto the questions.

1. All around the world people are asking "So what are you doing on Tuesday?"Writing a post, eating some BBQ, watching some fireworks, and cleaning my office so I can get on the treadmill.

2. This year in Canada we are celebrating 150 years of confederation. But it's complicated and that's a good thing. Google "Unsettle 150", now how can you complicate your celebration of America?Number 1, by merely realizing that it is incredibly complicated to begin with. Number 2, this blog post in a small was was trying to get an international view of how people perceive July 4th and to address some of the issues that might arise from that. (it did not work out as well as I had hoped)Number 3. I have no idea about number 3.

3. Can you sing my (Canadian) national anthem?Not without the music. I am not great with it, but I can get most of it. Just looking at the lyrics now and the French version is crazy longer than the English.

4. What is the greatest gift the USA has to offer to the world? The one that it is holding back?I used to think it was that we could move past Caucasionism and chauvinism/misogyny and heterosexism, but I am not sure that is the case at the moment. I think the US has the ability (and I hope it uses this ability) to demonstrate how to course correct when it clearly has started going astray.

5. What is the greatest irony of July 4th for you?That the Declaration of Independence was signed by people who, in effect represented only about 20 to 25% of the people in the colonies. Because of their actions, the War for American Independence was fought and eventually won (this conflict probably should have been called World War 1 with the number of countries and people involved).

6. What is it in your heart you feel you can truly celebrate on July 4th?I celebrate what I have been celebrating for the past few years. A celebration of the potential to be so much better, and the hope that we will be.

7. If you could set a national holiday like July 4th, what would it be?May 9th would be Reunification Day wherein we would celebrate the end of the US Civil War.

8. What was the best July 4th celebration in your life so far?When I was a kid we took a family vacation to Colorado to visit some extended family. While there, we got to watch fireworks being shot off of mountain.

9. Who from American history best embodies the true spirit of July 4th for you?Harriet Tubman (listen to this podcast and be in awe)… not just the spirit of the 4th, but the embodiment of America in general.

Harriet Tubman is a badass

10. If you could change one thing about July 4th, what would it be?I would love to retire “Proud to be an American” by Lee Greenwood… ugh… only gets played on July 4th and it is terrible.

11. If you had one July 4th wish for the USA from the July 4th fairy, what would it be? ( it becomes immediately and irreversibly true )For people to really look inside themselves to try and determine exactly why they are being spiteful.

The next 4 questions take a more personal bent and less July 4th centric feeling.

12. Is there one thing from your 20 questions answer / session that stays with you and which you think of often?The one throughline of almost all of the 20 Questions interviews that I constantly come back to is just how introspective these conversations are for both the person I am asking the questions and for me. Each one is a bit of a self examination for both parties.

13. Why did you start doing this (you need to really think about it, not just the generic answer), and how long do you see yourself doing it?I started doing this because as I was writing my typical run of the mill daddy blog in 2006 or so I could not think of a topic I wanted to write about. So I sent out an email asking some friends to just ask me some questions. I settled on 20 because of the game 20 Questions, and I settled on the day Tuesday because that is my wife’s name and it is my favorite day of the week since I found out that I loved her. It went that way for a while. Every Monday I would send an email to some friends and ask for questions, until that started to get stale. So again, to create more interesting content and allow me to become “internet friends” with some people I enjoyed and admired, I used the platform to ask people I find interesting 20 Questions in an interview format, that I do not think is being done anywhere else. Eventually the 20 Questions Tuesday content was the only thing I was generating and it took over my blog, and now here we are. I will continue doing this as long as I find it enjoyable and I can create the content. I have been having issue lately with getting people to contribute questions for my weekly blogs and finding people willing to do these long form interviews. Who knows how long that will last.

14. What's your favorite tech device you've ever owned?This is an interesting one. I lean towards my first real computer, I think it was a Pentium 2 that I built with best friend Glen down in Alabama. We played many a game on that machine. It is my favorite, because it is my first and started me on a path.

15. If you could change/remove one technology from the world, which one would it be and why?This is a super interesting question. Technology is not bad on its own. It is the implementation of technologies that make things bad. I think I would go with removing tracking cookies.

Back to the July 4th theme.

16. Would you say that the majority of Americans are patriotic and honour the meaning of the holiday when they celebrate, or do many people not get into the true spirit of the day?I would say that most Americans honor their own meaning of the day. By that I mean that many people have radically different meanings for what today is. I think it is a great day to celebrate how far we have come as a nation and how we can accomplish more. Others might be simply celebrating that one time that “we kicked England’s ass on our own” as the ultimate underdog story. Still others might be celebrating their ability to marginalize others by wrapping themselves in the flag. The thing is, I think most of the people who actually celebrate the day really do mean it, but they can mean radically different things.

17. How is the way July 5th is currently celebrated (popular traditions, mainstream cultural activity) a reflection of modern US society?Well, I think this might be a type-o on the questions and that you may have meant the 4th, but I like this questions because it asks about how well the understanding of what it is that the Fourth of July means to us stay with us. So I will answer concerning July 5. Both my wife and I have to get back to work on the 5th, so I think it is an excellent indicator of how much we cherish the day before. The celebration is over and now we have shit to get done. Regardless of how good the celebration makes us feel work still needs to be done because life goes on.

18. Do you feel that in the actual politics of the USA, there are people honoring the 4th of July ideals on the Declaration of Independence? Or there's somewhat politics that have forgot about those ideals?I do not see many people actually trying to live up to the ethos of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

19. The Declaration of Independency is basically just a cranky, long complaint about the King of England. Why is it, then, that Americans are known as such a very friendly and positive people?Are we known as “friendly and positive?!?” Maybe positive to the point of arrogance, but I would not say Friendly. The Declaration of Independence could be boiled down to a bunch of rich people grossing.

20. My biggest question (which I know you don't have an answer to) is, how quick can the 25th Amendment be invoked?A strong criminal case takes time to get the evidence and other aspects in good order. I would say that articles will be on the table in 2018. The problem is that the line of succession is just as appalling as 45. I mean seriously alarming. The better question is, even if they impeach and indict him, will it mean anything?

To recap:One thing this post made me realize is that I need more non US-citizen friends abroadI fear for the future of the USThe current state of things is not goodI feel kind of like I am watching the Weimar Republic fall right nowHad a great conversation with someone who grew up in Norway this eveningHe had a strong point that we all need to keep in mindThe US is still a relatively young country and much like youthful people is prone to making mistakesWent and saw the local fireworks showIt was a pretty good oneNow it is late and I have to go to work tomorrowI am trying to figure out how to see Spider-Man this weekendHave a great week everyone

Last week I was on the Vacation. Super vacation time. We visited the Outer Banks in North Carolina and got back home Sunday at 6 pm. Back to work on Monday morning wherein I realize that post vacation fall out is a real thing. Not only do you have to get the motivation to get up at a reasonable hour you also have to wade through the detritus that builds up in your digital inbox over the course of a week, you also have to be ready to interact with co-workers in a manner that is professional. So… let’s answer some questions about this delightful topic.

1. Did you come with the same number of humans with which you left?Purely from the numbers game, I left on my singular own and met up four other people… We had 2 cars so I came home with 3 more people than I left with and the other person came home on their own.

2. Did you come home with the same humans with which you left?I came home with extra.

3. The hip-bump-the-daughter-into-the-pool was capital H “ilarious!” Do you think she’ll remember it when you’re on life support and the doctors ask her the plug questioni?I can only hope so. Since we planned the whole thing. She knows not to just hang out at the edge of a pool like an idiot. I have taught here some things. This was staged because we were having fun with slo-mo videos on our iPhones. Slo-Mo is the best mo, yo.

4. As a family, how do pass the hours in the car?Audible books and drugging the kids with dramamine so they sleep.

6. How many emails did you come back to in your inbox? How many are actually important?Not as many as I thought there would be. There were about 75-ish, of which 5 were useful.

7. How long does it take you to get unpacked? Do you do it immediately or does the half-empty suitcase linger in your basement for a week? (sigh)We will be completely unpacked by Wednesday... or Saturday, mainly because we need some of the stuff that is packed.

8. Do vacations renew your zest for your daily activities, or do they make coming back even worse by comparison? (sigh)A little of column a, and a little of column b. Vacations can be great breaks from the daily life. It is sometimes difficult to re-insert into the daily life. That being said, after dragging my butt to work on Monday, I felt pretty ready and invested in the work again.

9. Do you have other vacations planned already?Yes. We are doing an Alaska adventure vacation in July where we will get to see fjords, glaciers, and Denali.

10. Did you bring me anything?I did not bring you anything. Do you need something? To be truthful, I did not bring me anything either.

11. Do you cut vacation one day short so you have a “recuperation day” before back to work?Nope. Got in Sunday at 6pm, back to work Monday at 8:47am.

12. Post vacation, rejuvenated or spent?Rejuvenated… about the second day back.

13. How many days is your ideal vacation?It depends on where and the what. Outer Banks beach vacation? About 6 days. In the mountains? I could go for 9 days or so.

14. Like me do you “overindulge” on vacation ‘cuz “it’s vacation!”You know it.

15. How long until you feel “normal” again back at work?2 days… maybe 3

16. What is the first thing you do when you get home from a vacation?Typically, I pee.

17. What do you miss the most when you get home for a vacation?I think* I miss the sleeping in.

18. What is the most surprising thing you find about coming back home?Regardless of the bed slept in over vacation, just how comfortable my own bed is.

19. Is it difficult for the kids to re-integrate into the home routine?Somewhat. Little Man is trying to recapture all the “SR” on the competitive boards for Overwatch that he lost while being gone for a week. We are not going to let him know that if we can take a Vitamix blender we could also pack and Xbox OneQ is having some issues getting back into non-vacation life. She is a bit lost at the moment. I imagine she will be good to by tomorrow.

20. Did you get any souvenirs from this trip?Nope.

To recap:*in this case “think” means “I know for an incontrovertible fact”The necromancer is live now in Diablo 3…I guess I know what I’m doing tonightGoing to get into another Great British Bake-Off episode tonightSo happy to get Series 4 going on here in the statesDon’t know why it has taken so long to get this goingLooks like the youngest will be getting bracesWe are starting down the trail of orthodontureFinally saw Wonder WomanI am glad that so many people found that movie transcendentI will leave it at thatI need a haircutGetting a little unkemptOnly looks tamed when I have sunglasses pulled up on top of my head like a headbandMaybe I should just start wearing a headband?Have a great week everyone

So this week I decided to just refer to the Google autofill for the words “who,” “what,” “when,” “why,” and “where.” I just copied to first four responses for each of the five words and then will attempt to answer them as best I can. In looking at the width and breadth of these questions it seems like many of these questions seem like questions asked to Google via voice interaction on a mobile device. Also it seems like Destiny players are very concerned with the comings and goings of Xur. So… Thanks Google for the questions. Now without further ado, on to the questions.

1. Who won the NASCAR race today?There was not a NASCAR race today so no one won… but since the race in question does not, in fact, exist… everyone won as well.

2. Who is?Everyone outside of the group that is not.

3. Who won the US Open?Specificity is the soul of narrative. No date is associated with this question, nor gender, nor event. Is it women's doubles from 1972? Is it men’s singles from 1984? Regardless the answer is Serena Williams.

4. Who let the dogs out?Again, specificity is necessary to answer this question accurately and precisely. Where specificity is not available, generality should be substituted. So in an effort to accurately answer this question I will eschew precision. Someone let the dogs out unless the dogs have determined how to let themselves out, and that would be a wholly different issue than laying blame. Dogs cannot be allowed to let themselves out... in that direction lies madness and madness alone.

5. What time is it?It’s time to get ill. It is always time to get ill. So, everyone, get ill.

6. What is my IP?It is the numerical address assigned to your node that accesses the Internet as a whole. It is a unique identifier for all externally facing nodes on the network.

7. What song is this?This is not a song, so therefore it is whatever song you want it to be.

8. What is the weather?The weather is a collection of geographically and temporally localized atmospheric data that has been suitably aggregated into a colloquial description for a lay person concerning meteorology to easily understand.

9. Where is Mali?Mali is a landlocked country in Western Africa.

10. Where am I?I hope this was not asked with any amount of desperation. That would be troubling to say the least. I am going to say you should look around you… there you are. Please make the best of being there.

11. Where’s my refund?You will be happy to know that it is in the mail and on the way.

12. Where is Xur?He is either at “The Tower” or “The Reef.” You find him.

13. Why is the sky blue?The sky is blue because of the angle of incidence from sunlight refracting off of water molecules in the atmosphere. That being said, not all of the sky is blue.

14. Why not both?Why not indeed?15. Why is the ocean salty?Fishes are sweaty, yo. Super sweaty.

16. Why is Xur not here?Because he doesn’t want to trade with you.

17. When is Father’s Day?Third Sunday of the month of June.

18. When does Xur arrive?2 am PST Friday morning, like clockwork.

19. When is Easter?The first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

20. When does Xur leave?2 a.m. PST Sunday morning, also like clockwork, but not like Clockwerk, because that’s a band.

To recap:I guess Xur is important in DestinyDestiny peeps gotta buy their shit, yoI traveled to the Outer Banks todayFlew from Columbus to NorfolkTraveled light, just a my work backpack that I sling over my shoulder like some kind of boss messengerThe wife met me in Norfolk and drove my butt to OBXThen I will eat an unhealthy amount of Brunswick Stew from High Cotton Bar-B-QueThanks to Tom Gehrke… he knows whyHe really is one of the best people I know whom I have not metThere are a handful of those jokers out thereWell, I turn 43 tomorrow, so Happy Birthday to me42 was personally a good year for me, but, wow, it was a shit show geo-politicallyIf you read though to this, it would mean a bunch if you left a birthday commentIt’s for my birthdayHave a great week everyone

One of the reasons that I loved CinciComiCon was that I met really awesome people there. My second or third year there I had the pleasure of sitting next to Eric Palicki. Eric is a comic book writer who is currently writing working on a really interesting indy book called No Angel. I have read a few other of his books. To be honest, I bought them mainly because I was sitting at a table next to him, and you have to support local, am I right? You know I am. Anyhoo.. It turns out that the books just happened to be good. He was enjoyable to chat with and I am really happy to get to know him better.

So without further ado... let's jump into the questions.

I am going to really freak out readers of this here blog, by just shaking things up a bit.

Question 1: Cake or Pie, which specific kind and why? (what just happened?!?!?)

Patty Cake's Carrot cake is amazing. As a kid, I was always a fan of spice cake (which is carrot cake without the pesky carrots). Number 1: I love that you know about Patty Cake's in Clintonville. Number 2. Next time I know you will be around, I will bring a carrot cake from Patty Cake. Really. Number 3. I did not realize you are vegan. That is usually something that comes up with any interaction with vegans. I kid. I kid.

Question 2: Health or philosophical reasons for going vegan, and how long have you been off the meat wagon?

A little of both, along with a bit of peer pressure. I initially went vegetarian about seven years ago, when three of my closest friends all did it independently and for different reasons, one each for health, the environmental impact, and ethical considerations for the treatment of animals. I figured, I agree with all three of these friends, and if any one of their reasons is good enough to go veg, well, I guess I'm out of excuses.

Veganism started as an experiment. If I could give up the bacon, could I also give up the eggs? I just kind of stuck with it, starting about three years ago.

All of that said, I try not to be a vegan/veg evangelist; I won't bring it up without cause, and I never judge folks for what they eat.

I think there needs to be a portmanteau with vegan evangelist, it is all right there for the taking, but I cannot parse a "word" that rolls off the tongue. Maybe "vegangelist"? Actually, that might be it. When my oldest was a wee little toddler, due to food allergies he had a limited diet such that he was basically a vegan who could eat meat. It confused many people.

As everyone who has read one of these interviews knows, I was a cartographer for about 20 years total, so I have always been interested in the idea of geographic place and the stories that associate with that geography. For example, I was born just outside of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma moved to Montgomery, Alabama when I was a wee toddler, moved up to the Birmingham, Alabama area for the rest of my childhood until I went away to college at Kent State University in northeast Ohio. In Kent I met the woman would I would marry and moved to the Columbus area after college to live with and marry her. I have been in the Columbus area ever since my undergrad college years. Question 3: What is your geographic story?

I was born in Toledo, Ohio, where I lived well past high school and graduation from the University of Toledo. Shortly after graduation, I took a job as an technical writer (not much else you can do with an English degree, frankly), and I bounced around a few gigs in Northwest Ohio before taking a job in Columbus, doing the same kind of work. In November of last year, I packed up everything I owned and moved out to Seattle, following my girlfriend. I'm one of the lucky few who, on a rare cloudless day in the Pacific Northwest, can sit in view of both the mountains and the ocean (assuming you'll give me the benefit of the doubt and accept that Puget Sound is part of an ocean -- but you tell me; you're the cartographer).

Well, a sound is technically an offshoot of an ocean or a sea, but typically if it is a named water body but attached to and consisted of the same water chemical make up as the ocean, it can be considered part of the ocean. There are exceptions when you get to bodies of water that are attached to items named "sea."

Question 4: What is the biggest difference you see between Ohio and the Pacific Northwest?

Perhaps surprisingly, it's not the weather. It's actually the geography. Ohio is so flat.

It really is... even growing up in Alabama, I have found that most of Ohio is really flat. Especially the northwest of Ohio since it was scoured by glaciation in the last few ice-ages. Ohio is seriously flat until you get to the edge of the Illinoisan Ice Age boundary. Then it gets some relief in the Appalachian foothills. But it is not relief like Cascadia.

Your geographic story is fairly short. Question 5: Is there somewhere out there that you would like to live, that you haven't yet?

Just down the road in Portland is one of the most robust comics communities in the U.S.

I think I'd like to give Portland a try.

Portland is just and awesome city to begin with, regardless of the comic book culture.

So, you are a comic book writer with an English degree... Question 6: What word in the English language do you think needs to be used more? For example, I love the word "whilst' and feel it should be used more often.

So many good but underappreciated words out there, but without too much thought, I'd say 'elan,' or possibly 'panache.'

This script was way past its deadline, but Palicki executed it with great elan.

Oooh... I am leaning towards "panache" between those 2. But "elan" has a delightful ring to it as well. Both are great choices. I have actually said “panache” before in conversation, but I only know the work “elan” because of crossword puzzles.

I know that you are co-writing "No Angel" with your sister, Question 7: Do you have any other siblings? and what are the biggest issues of working with a sibling on a project?

It's just the two of us, and while there weren't any issues as far as personality clashes, my sister comes at storytelling from a very different medium -- she being an actress and living in LA. We basically got together over a long weekend to figure out the story beats, and then I came back to (at the time) Ohio to write the scripts, which I then turned around and sent back to Adrianne for review. Her notes back to me were very much the result of her looking at the story through the Hollywood lens. "Where's the love interest?" Et cetera. The beauty of working in comics, specifically for a company like Black Mask Studios, is we're not beholden to those structural limitations and storytelling expectations. It was all very punk rock.

No Angel number 1 cover art

Also, my sister is a poopy stinky dummy and has been since she was two years old.

I think it is interesting to look at the story beats from a writer's point of view and an actors' POV. I imagine it makes the comic book scripts resemble screenplays a bit more and that makes me wonder if the comic book might be a proof of concept for a TV series... Say "Hi" to your sister for me. Loved her as Mockingbird and she was awesome in John Wick, but that is enough about her. I tend to try and not dwell on poopy stinky dummy people, because I think poopy stinky dummy people get in the way of generative creativity.

Question 8: Is writing for comic books your primary source of income, or is there something else you do as your primary money-maker? Good Lord I hope it is not concerning the shaking of your money-maker.

I'm still a technical writer by day, telecommuting to Abbott Nutrition from out here in Seattle, which means getting up at 4am to work according to something resembling East Coast time. Good thing Seattle's known for its coffee!

Technical writing is an interesting task to say the least. Taking info-babble and making it consumable can be really tricky.

Question 10: What skill from this job as a technical writer is something that you will always keep with you regardless of your enjoyment of or employment status in regards to this job?

Comics writing is like technical writing insomuch as both benefit from the ability to convey instructions clearly and succinctly, sometimes to people, whether technicians or artists, who are not native English speakers. I think tech writing has made me a better comics writer, but it has probably destroyed my chances of ever writing prose.

That is super interesting. I did not think at all about instructional writing and how that translates to comic book writing. It makes perfect sense, but it doesn't quite account for your ability to write dialog. I imagine that technical writing does not prepare you for dialog.

Question 11: Fill in the blanks. I find that I am mostly __________. Others find that I am mostly __________.

I find that I am mostly reserved but outgoing. Others find that I am mostly an introvert.

With those answers it seems like you may be the personality unicorn known as kind of a quiet extrovert. You are quite the enigma. Question 12: So are you energetically an introvert or an extrovert? Meaning do you recharge your batteries by being by yourself or being around others?

Oh, I definitely recharge with alone time. In fact, I mostly prefer being by myself, but that's punctuated by bursts where I absolutely NEED to be part of a group, to see people. Conventions are great "punctuation marks" on the otherwise lonely existence of a writer.

I like small intimate groups for my recharging. Small groups of 3 or 4 people having conversation is really perfect for my recharging. That seems to be harder and harder to make happen. That is one reason I am so happy with the job I have now. There is the opportunity to be in small cluster conversations with very intelligent and insightful people... but enough about all that.

We are at Question 13: So do you have any superstitions or rituals that you adhere to?

I'm not a big believer in superstitions when I approach them from a rational standpoint, but some small things have crept in around the edges: I'll always pick up a penny, so long as I find it head-side up, and I never kill spiders I find in my house (owing more to a fondness for spiders -- wink, wink -- than to any profound superstition).

Ritual-wise, I try to start the morning with the crossword puzzle, because it's a decent brain game to prep myself for writing, but I don't know if my output suffers when I can't do it.

That is the exact reason I mention rituals instead of straight up superstitions. Very few people still believe that putting a hat on the bed is an invitation for death to visit, but lots of people do some kind ritual to get themselves ready for some task. Anyone who has ever played sports has had some kind of ritual to get prepared for playing that sport. Rituals are all about getting into the correct "frame of mind" for whatever task is at hand. Your crossword puzzle is a perfect example of this. You use that exercise to get you in the correct frame of mind to write. Could you write without doing the crossword? Of course. Would some of that writing be used to get you in the correct frame of mind? Most likely.

Question 14: What creative projects do you have going on right now?

I have two unannounced miniseries on my plate right now, I'm helping to curate a politically motivated horror anthology which will appear on Kickstarter later this summer, and I'm contributing a ten page story to a pal's kaiju anthology. My story for that last book pits a giant monster against a samurai in Edo period Japan, and it looks like Adam Ferris will be drawing it.

That sounds awesome. I am really glad that you have that many irons in the fire.So... Question 15: Is there a particular existing mainstream book that you would kick a kitten in the rain to write?

Well, maybe not IN THE RAIN (I'm not a monster, Scott), but I think I have a Green Arrow story in me. Moon Knight. My dream with the Big Two would be to take a half-forgotten character and give it a Frank-Miller-on-Daredevil-style renaissance.

I'd love to do a Captain America story sometime, maybe when doing so isn't controversial.

I will be the judge of the monstrosity. Spiders every issue? Really? ugh... You are a monster. A horrible monster.

There are spiders coming out of that guy's eye sockets.... EYE SOCKET SPIDERS!!! Eric Palicki is a monster.

I would love to see your take on Cap, especially with this weird run they are doing right now with him being a hydra sleeper. There are so many directions the next story can go. He needs to ditch the red, white, and blue and become Nomad again. Only way to redeem Steve Rogers is to remove him as the iconic character, but I could go on for a good bit about the Steve Rogers character.

Question 16: Is there a question I have not asked that you expected me to ask?

Well, you asked about siblings, but I often get some variation of "What's it like having a sister on tv?" or "What's it like having a famous sister?" I very much appreciate that you kept the conversation in the context of our comics together and not her little side project as a semi-famous actress. I had a colleague shoulder check me at a con once and when I asked him why, his reply was "That's for your sister, for trying to kill John Wick."

That being said, her career has been a fun one to watch, and I love that I did not find out that she was your sister until this past October. All that being said, I love that it seems like you have a really nice relationship with her, and that is delightful. More than that, I really love that you have gone out of your way to work together, because the two of you have no requirement to work together.

Question 17: Did you ever think that you and your sister would have/make the opportunity to work together? It seems like the two of you have gone down relatively different paths.

I certainly hope we'll work together. When I moved to Seattle, Adrianne flew out to Ohio and drove with across country. During that time we brainstormed a (probably) comic book follow up to No Angel. Without giving away too many details, it's inspired by a true story of a young woman who was sentenced as a juvenile for taking part in the murder of her parents, then released back into society when she reached adulthood. We made significant progress in exploring questions like how do you come back from having done something like that? Are you actually rehabilitated or is age just a number?

And then there's a heady conspiratorial angle to the story, because that's my jam and poopy-pants' jam as well.

As far as tv goes, I'd never rule it out. Although my dream is to keep writing comics, I'd be a fool to turn down a writing gig for television.

Look at the happy siblings!

I really have loved No Angel (even with all the spiders... so many spiders) and I love the idea of having an actor be part of the writing team, because an actor's and a writer's point of view are so different. It is also so nice to hear of siblings who enjoy each other and respect each others different skillsets. I could see and have seen sibs becoming competitive and jealous at popular success.

Now it is the time wherein I turn the tables on myself. Question 18: Do you have any questions for me?

Sure! What's the TV Guide synopsis of the Scott Ryan-Hart story? (and for bonus points: what song would be the subtitle of that biopic? You know what I mean? Like, Don't Go Chasin' Waterfalls: The Eric Palicki story. What's yours?)

Wow... That is an amazing question. Such an amazing question. Let me think on it a bit....

Okay here we go.

Carry a Laser: the Scott Ryan-Hart StoryFor 15 years an average kind of guy forgot to be creative. Dusting off rusty and atrophied skills he tries to re-kindle some creativity in his life and become more fulfilled as a human. Guided by his wife and newfound drive to do something creative, Scott embarks on a question to answer and ask questions, draw and write, and live and be.

Cancelled after one season due to the low stakes and relative boredom it induces.

Full disclosure... "Carry a Laser" is my southern protestant misunderstanding of "Kyrie Eleison" by Mr Mister

Okay, we are nearing the end of this conversation... so

Question 19: What are you taking from these 20 Questions that you did not bring in with you?

Well, for one thing, it's nice to know I wasn't the only guy who thought he was saying 'Carry A Laser.' I was probably in high school or college in the latter half of the 90s before I saw the actual title written out.

I tweeted out yesterday about it having been 5 years since Ray Bradbury passed, and he was my first writing god (later replaced by Vonnegut and Harlan Ellison and Hemingway -- who could write a helluva sentence, even if he was a drunk misogynist -- and then by some comics writers), and I tend to still embrace a lot of Bradbury's method. That is to say, I write fast, which doesn't allow for much introspection. These twenty questions have given me pause to think about how and why I write, so thanks for that.

If I have given you a vehicle for introspection, then I am very happy with how these 20 questions have shaken out. I really wish you were still in the Columbus area, because I would love to hang out with you since you are such a great guy.

All of that leads to the final of the 20 Questions. You already kind of mentioned some aspects of you plans, but questions 20 is always... Question 20: What's next? Be as vague or as specific, as concrete or philosophical, and as near term or long term as you would like.

This is maybe the most intimidating question of the bunch, Scott. I'm living in Seattle, but this move is still fresh, and as much as I'm growing to adore the city, I'm not sure it feels like 'home,' yet. My arrangement with my current day job is coming to an end (by mutual arrangement and design) at the end of June, and with No Angel wrapped, I don't have another announced project ready to go (in contrast to last year, when I had a graphic novel and Marvel gig and No Angel announced).

So, the honest answer to what's next is, I don't know, and that's terrifying. I guess it's time to get off twitter (at least a little bit) and start making some proactive moves to find a new day job and some new comics work, or even better, find a home for all the awesome creator owned projects I've developed since No Angel debuted.

Thanks so much for doing this 20Qs with me.

No, Thank you for doing this 20 Questions with me. This was really enjoyable.

Seattle is an awesome place, I am sure you will feel comfortable calling it home soon.

As for work... I am positive that you will create more comic work. And if the work does not come to you, I know you will make work for yourself. No Angel is a great series (even though there are too many spiders) and I have really enjoyed reading it.

You are an absolute delight, and I am sad that I will not be seeing you at Cincy ComiCon anymore.

To recap:Wife is out of town this weekAnd I am exhaustedI finally took the plunge and ordered SeeSoI think it was a wise decisionI am on vacation next weekThat should be funOuter BanksBar-b-QueDonutz on a Stick… now in a gluten free versionMore than that though is some sleeping inOh, how I love sleeping inLike I am an adolescent, I really love itI still need some peeps to interviewIffens you know anyone who wants to answer 20 questions, have them contact meNow I need to get back to paying attention to other parts of my lifePodcast? Should I make a version of this as a podcast? Thoughts?Have a great week everyone

It has been a few weeks since I posted last so I guess I need to talk about why this Break occurred. The break occurred because I am trying to figure out what to do with this site and concept moving forward. If you have ideas, I am reading comments and taking suggestions. I am over 10 years into this blogging thing and have felt that it might be time to shake up the production values on this. Anyhoo… I am trying to figure out how to keep making this and making it meaningful… at the same time. Anyway… that means today’s topic is “Break.”

3. With what do you prefer to break your fast?I love French toast, but being gluten free means that is a no no. Omelettes are good though... not so good as French toast dusted with powdered sugar... but passable... I guess.

4. What are the offspring doing for their summer break?The youngest, who is now 9… how the hell did that happen? Where did that time go? Anyway… she is in a horse riding camp this week, and three other weeks this summer she is actually going to be working at that camp.

Little Man is hanging out at home where he will be learning how to do his own damn laundry and some dishes.

Then for both of them, there are two family vaca’s wherein we will go to the Outer Banks in NC and then a vacation in Alaska. We are all seriously looking forward to the Alaska trip.

5 "Gimme a Break"-- better known as a classic television show or the start of an indelible Kit-Kat jingle?Sadly the Kit-Kat Jingle. Nell Carter doesn’t hold a candle to the earworm that is the Kit-Kat jingle.

6. Tell me a story of when you last played in a surf break.Last year for the Outer Banks, NC. Kids and I were playing in the surf. The following week there were something like 7 shark attacks within 10 miles of where we stayed.

7. When did you last give someone a break?I have children… I am constantly giving them breaks.

8. What did you have for breakfast?Today, I had some yogurt.

9. The physics of breaking balls in baseball fascinates me? You too? Have a look and see what you learn.It is all about the Magnus effect. Controlling the magnitude and axis of the spin of the ball will affect the ball’s trajectory and path.

10. What was your best relationship break up?Probably the woman I dated for 3 months when I was 19. She started being a bit controlling and since we were in a long distance relationship, that was not going to work honestly, it wouldn't work even if we were right next to each other. The break up was relatively amicable. She is a nurse in the Birmingham area now and supports Trump so I think I dodged a bullet there, amiright?

11. What was the last thing you broke?Some headphones.

12. Have you ever had a relationship end where you don’t think you were told the truth of the reason?Not that I can think of.

13. Relate a family-friendly anecdote from one of your Spring Breaks.Spring break denotes a time in my life where-in as a student I went on a week-long vacation before going back to school the following week. Prior to college all my spring breaking was done with the family wherein we would visit grandparents in either Northeast Ohio or Retirementville on Waiting to Die, Florida (Venice, Florida). In college I did not go on any Spring Break trips. I have only family friendly spring break anecdotes and none of them are interesting.

14. Wouldn’t it be cool if he art of Kintsugi could be applied to human relationships? Or can it?I think there is a definite possibility of making art from broken relationships. We call that the band, Oasis, right?

15. Would you share a Kit-Kat bar if someone sang the commercial jingle at you?Nope, I cannot partake of Kit-Kat’s because their wafers are made with evil evil gluten. If, on the bizarre occassion, I have a Kit-Kat Bar and someone jingles at me, they would receive a full Kit-Kat Bar... rapidly thrown at their face. I might also yell something to the effect of "Is this what you wanted!!! You monster! IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED ALL ALONG!"

16. What is the past-perfect tense of break? Use it in a sentence.It is “had broken.” It is used to show the order of an occurrence. I had broken my arm before I rode on for a mile or so.

17. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” is a weird saying. Can you think of a better way of saying it?Hmmm… that is an interesting one. The problem with that saying is that it is very happy with stagnation. Maybe something like “If it works, it could probably work better. Iterate and tweak.”

18. Have you ever been flat broke?Been right near close to flat broke before, but I have always seemed to have at least 2 nickels to rub together.

19. What is your favorite activity when you “take a break?”Well, if it is really only a break, I will get up and walk for a bit to not stare at a screen and focus on something further from my face than 2 feet.

20. Break it down for me fellas.We’re going to end it with a Young MC reference? Really. I weep for my future.

As I was taking stock of my life, as I do every week when the darkness comes… the black inky darkness that envelops my soul… I stare into that ebon darkness and contemplate my infinitesimal existence in this infinite universe. I am a mote on the eyelashes of a god, inaudible, intangible, and invisible.. My existence is unnecessary and fruitless in the eyes of a dispassionate and removed deity…… ummm… anyway, I come to think about how podcasts have been a part of my life for many years now. So this week, I am answering 20 Questions about the topic of podcasts. Thanks this week go to Lsig, pfmDesigner, Nadolny, StPierre, Dr JHP, and Some Other Guy for the questions. Let’s get to it!!

1. What was the first podcast you listened to regularly? Is it still in your rotation?I think the first one I listened to was Tech News Today on the TWiT network. I do not listen to it anymore.

2. Is there anything in common among the various podcasts you like? (Besides being podcasts?)I listen to 3 categories of podcasts. Humor, tech, and history. That would be the three comment threads that weave together my podcast tapestry

4. Would you ever consider doing your own podcast?I am playing around with how to transform this blog into a podcast. I gots some ideas, y’all. There is a Twenty Questions Tuesday podcast that is out there, but the last episode of that one is ep 52 from May of 2015.... there might be room for another

6. What do you usually go for when looking for a new podcast? (Comedy, news, hobby, etc)I look for recommendations on Twitter. Often a podcast that I listen to will recommend other podcasts, or the guests on a podcast that I like will have their own podcast, and I will just follow them like a lost puppy.

7. Without naming names, what is the unpardonable sin that will make you drop a podcast like it's hot?I think one of the things that make me leave a podcast is when the podcast stops being interesting and becomes too repetitive. Interest for some podcasts will ebb over time. When I start feeling that listening to the podcast is more of a chore and, weirdly, and obligation, I tend to unsubscribe and delete from my podcast app.

8. Finish this sentence, "Too bad the technology wasn't around, because I would love to have heard a podcast from _____."Archimedes… but I don’t speak ancient Greece, so it would not really be that good to listen to.

9. Podcasts? I am an old man, does this have anything to do with Podracing?Nope, it sure does not.

10. So podcasts, it’s like people bantering on about something they consider themselves an expert in? yes?Sometimes… sometimes it is just people having a conversation

11. Favorite podcasts by topic. That is if they are topical. If they aren't, then I'm confused on what a podcast is.Patience. I will list all my podcasts that I listen to in Question 14.

12. How do you consume your podcasts? Other than Apple’s Podcast app on the iPhone I haven’t tried any of the other services, but I enjoy the feature being able to speed it up. I don’t know what it says about me as a person, I don’t think I’m impatient, but while I listen to anything except music I want it sped up at least 1.5x so I can go on to other things. Maybe that is impatience. I don’t know. Wish I could have typed this out faster.I usedthe default Apple Podcast app for a while, but have moved to using Downcast as my podcast app. I have listened to some at higher speeds, but I find that causes me some anxiety, so I go back to normal speed.

13. What is the best/easiest source to use to sign up for and listen to podcasts?The default podcaster apps are usually the easiest to use, but they sometimes do not have all the features that you might enjoy.

14. What is in your current podcast list?Okay here they are in alpha order...99% Invisible: a design podcast that looks at how design affects daily livingBackstory: an American history podcast that looks at how current events reflect history in more ways than we think.The British History Podcast: A history of Great Britain that tries to stay away from the “Great Leader” tropes of historyComedy Film Nerds: Comedians watch a ton of movies, so 2 comedians have started making their own movies and reviewing as well.Cordkillers: A podcast that is about cancelling cable and how to stream content without cable

16. Which podcasts will get the NSA on my doorstep? (so I can avoid this uncomfortable issue)I have not downloaded or subscribed to a podcast that has alerted the authorities (to my knowledge… hello, NSA. What Up, G-Men? Guys, if you are there, leave a comment and let me know what got me on the list... my bet is Mysterious Universe) so your guess is as good as mine.

17. How many podcasts do you subscribe to currently? And how many hours of content do those equate to for a week?39, and it equates to about 40 hours a week

18. Why do you think that podcasts are becoming more popular?I think they are gaining in popularity for the same reason that on demand television and streaming services are becoming more popular. People want to curate when and where they consume content. I am listening to the Dollop right now… even as I type this.

19. What do you think is the perfect length for a podcast?It really depends on the intensity of the podcast. The Dana Gould Hour is delightful and it is at least 2 hours. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History can be over 5 hours a shot, but We Have Concerns is 25 minutes and delightful. All of these are their own perfect length. That being said, I have found that occasionally podcast will go a bit long, so in that 30 minutes to an hour timeframe seems just about right

20. What the hell is a podcast?A podcast is an audio or video piece of content that is accessible via download to a device wherein the user can consume the content where they want and when they want. Some are free and some require payment, but all are meant to be consumed however the user determines. For a better look at what podcasts are (primarily entertainment podcasts) you could purchase, download, and watch the documentary, Ear Buds: The Podcasting Documentary. It really gives a good understanding of the power of podcasts. It is not the most complete picture of the podcasting landscape, but it is a very deep look at it.

To recap;Listening to Current Geek right nowNext up is CordKillersI know this is a day late, but I am a dollar short, but things have been busy, yoOne of the 2 straps that hold the gas tank on my car came off last weekI was one corroded strap from hazardous fiery death balls of explodinessWe have people staying at our house this weekendAAAANnnnnnd Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 2 is coming outWhat’s a guy to do?I apologize for the tardiness of the post, but there are sooooo many links in this post... I know it's WednesdayLittle Man was sick early this weekHe was very congested in his big dumb headHoly crap we need to clean the house upHave a great week everyone!

It has been a bit since I posted. This is not the easiest of blogs to generate content for. It requires the input of others and, well, they do not get any bang from being a part of this other than the soft love and glow I radiate towards them. They are wonderful souls that are being illuminated by my love. Wonderful souls… the lot of them.

Lately I have been listening to my youngest playing piano and my oldest talking about playing the bass (not a fish) and French horn (not simultaneously). My lovely wife has been talking about song playlists that the youngest can listen to whilst we don’t want to pay attention to her, and I have been listening to podcasts that are non-musical. So, this week the topic being discussed poorly is… Music. I have a great line up on questions. Thanks this week go to The MikeStand, Dr B Dawg, Lsig, Nadolny, and Chris Ring.

Let’s answer some questions!

1. Do you like both kinds of music? That is, Country AND Western?I guess I don’t like music then… Rollin', rollin', rollin'Rollin', rollin', rollin'Rollin', rollin', rollin'Rollin', rollin', rollin'RawhideShe rollin', rollin', rollin'Though the streams are swollenKeep them doggies rollin', rawhide

2. What is your favourite audio format? CD / Vinyl / 8 Track / Cassette / digitalI am really partial to digital these days. My mustache is not handle-barrish enough to be about the vinyl…. 180 gram vinyl where you hear the ‘pop’ when the needle hits the record.

3. Were you sad when Napster died, and what is your current opinion on music sharing? You may discuss pandora (still not available in Canada), spotify, apple music, and other subscription services. I was already unsurprised by the time it shut down and had already stopped using Napster completely by that point. I think as music becomes easier to legally share, piracy will go away. That being said, I have always loved music sharing because I enjoy rewarding artists I find talented with my purchases even if I have borrowed their music to become familiar with them. Jonathan Coulton is one such artist.

4. Do you think that the current era of music promotion and distribution is better than in the olden-days, when the two or three companies with the most money told you what was good and what wasn't, only now there is a such a fire-hose of crappy music out there that it's impossible to wade through it all to find the "good stuff"?I think there is a better chance to find music that you will well and truly love with the amount of content generators out there. That being said, you and I might love the exact same favorite “genre” of music but not listen to any of the same artists because there are so many creators now.

5. It's been said that one stops seeing their parents music as awesome at age 13, and by the time one is in their early 20s, their own tastes have more or less solidified and people will stop expanding their musical tastes. Briefly discuss. Use venn diagrams if necessary.Who said that? Why did they say it? Were they complaining that kid’s music is not as good as their music when they were kids? I think there is always the possibility to find new types of music that are well-formed and good. No Venn Diagram necessary

6. Has music changed much in the past 20 years? To me, it hasn't. I would say the mid 90s to now has changed very little compared to 1920s to grunge in the early 90s where there were clear decade by decade shifts in style and philosophy.I would say there have been a couple of of musical ages that have happened in the last 20 years when you look at genres. Very rarely is there a wholesale death of a genre like there was for disco and hair-metal, usually it is a slow evolution over time. You can see the underpinnings of grunge and 90’s rap in things even like EDM and Dubstep. It is a continuum… all of this answer was so I could use the word “continuum.”

7. Kendrick Lamar - a little overrated or a lot overrated?Kind of overrated, but not a lot, but a bit more than a little.

8. How do Mick and Keith keep going?They died years ago, but are so full of preservatives their bodies don’t know it yet.

9. Favorite top five guilty pleasure musical acts.This is a difficult question because I don’t listen to too much music right now. I mainly consume podcasts, But I imagine I can come up with a handful of musical acts. 1. Weird Al Yankovic 2. Sia 3. Taylor Swift 4. some Katy Perry, but only some. She is an infuriating artist because she is empowering to young women one second and then becomes a fawning object in the next song 5. one song from G.R.L.Keep in mind that most of these are only considered guilty pleasures because I am a 43 year old married father of 2.

10. Do you like the same music you liked as a kid/teen/young adult?Somewhat. I still like what most of what I did as a kid, but I like more kinds of music now.

11. Do you like the same music as your kids?Not quite. I don’t quite get the appeal of some of their music, now get off my damn lawn.

12. What was the last live music performance you attended? Was it too damn loud?

Little Man's symphonic concert. It was just loud enough.

13. Did you study music in school at any level? Do your kids?Nope. Yep

14. Who is the best music teacher you have met?My mom teaches music…. So... umm... not her.

15. What instruments do the kids play? LIttle Man plays the upright bass and the French horn.Q plays the piano.

16. What is the sound of music?External vibrations interacting with the tympanic membrane that oscillates three small bones in your ear that interact with the cochlear nerve and is interpreted by your brain as the sound of music.

18. What song/s do you want play at your funeral party (many moons from now)? What? You didn’t know we were gonna have a party? Shhhh, it’s a surprise.“All By Myself” and “Tainted Love”.. please leave other songs that should be at my “Gone Away Party” in the comments.

19. What music calms the beast?Manamana

20. Song if you hear one more time you’ll pull a Van Gogh?There is no music out there that would get me able to paint “Starry Night.” That is beyond perfection. If you mean, cleave off my ear, that wasn’t for a song, that was for a chick.

To recap:Yesterday at dinner Q looked at me and said:The song “The Carol of the Bells” is like a theme song for a squirrelIf you take away the wordsShe is not wrongThey are removing monuments to the Confederacy in New Orleans1. Slavery apologists are claiming "the Civil War was not about slavery but about the economy"That is only a nice way to say that the war was about slavery without actually saying it because the South’s economic model was built on the “peculiar institution” of slavery2. Slavery apologists are claiming "the Civil War was not about slavery but about State’s rights."That is also a nice way to say that the war was about slavery without actually saying it, since the State’s rights that the South was fighting for was the right of states to allow someone to own someone elseI grew up in the South, I have heard all the arguments for the Civil War… they all boil down to the South fighting for the ability for the ultra rich to own peopleSuck it up South, it is time to walk awayAnyone want to do an interview?Email me at mmmmmpig at gmailDo it!... seriouslyI have one interview out there that's about halfway doneI need to get a few more in the hopperThe youngest is in swimming now tooWhat have we done?Sweet giblets and gravy we have 2 kids in the amazing time sink called swimmingHave a great week everyone

In September during my annual trip down to CincyComiCon wherein I sell my crappy notecard sketches in what amounts to a comic book character rummage sale, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Shawn Pryor. He is an independent comic book writer. He has a kids book called Cash and Carrie that both my kids have devoured. He recently got his book Kentucky Kaiju into production as well. More than that though, he was delightful to sit next to and interact with. From just listening to him pitch to others with his mellifluous voice to chatting about writing comics he was a joy to be around.

That being said, I do not know him well at all, so let's ask him some questions to remedy that.

Onto the Questions.

In a previous career path I made maps for a living, so I have always been interested in the story of place. So I was born in Oklahoma just outside of Oklahoma City, moved to Montgomery, Alabama when I was a wee toddler, and then up to the Birmingham area when I was 3. I lived in a town just to the northeast of Birmingham called Center Point for the next 15 years until I was able to get the hell away from there and go to college. I went to college in northeastern Ohio at Kent State University. Kent Read, Kent Write, Kent State. I met the love of my life there and followed her to Columbus, Ohio so we could get married, and I have been in Columbus since 1997. Question 1: What is your geographic story?

Well, my journey began the day I was born in Valdosta, Georgia, and moved up to Middletown, Ohio at a very young age and I lived there until my early 20s. I went to college at Miami of Ohio and after college had stops in Dayton, Ohio and the Tri-County area in Ohio before moving to Lexington, KY in 2008. I have been in Lexington ever since.

I love a move from the South to the Midwest. That makes for an interesting mindset within the US. Question 2: What would you say is the biggest difference between growing up in Southwestern Ohio and living as an adult in Central Kentucky?

I would say that one of the biggest differences would be the artistic community here in Central Kentucky and how it's grown over the last decade or so. From independent and major comic book creators, live art events, the independent music scene, various forms of theater; there's so much to inspire and motivate individuals to be creative, expressive and influential. Coming up in Southwestern Ohio the artistic community was few and far between unless you made the journey to greater Cincinnati, and back then most of that stuff came at a cost which kept the curious away.

It's nice to hear that the artistic community is growing in Central Kentucky. It is good to hear that the artistic community is growing in general regardless of locale.

Question 3: Cake or pie? Which specific kind and why?

Cake over pie all day, every day. My favorite cake is a double layer yellow cake with all the chocolate icing. There's just something about the texture of the cake and the combined taste of the cake with lots of icing that just makes it special to me. It takes me back to my childhood and the good times I had back then.

Once in a blue moon I can eat pie, but it'll be a derby pie or french silk pie. Not a big fan of the fruit pies.

Cake always takes me back to my childhood since my mom made cakes as a side business. I got pretty good at decorating cakes as a 12 year old kid. I think because I had so much exposure to cakes that I tend to like pies more. It turns out one can be overexposed to cakes.

Question 4: is there a good out there that you just cannot help yourself around? What out there can you just not help but eat?

One of my favorite foods that I cannot help myself around is Spinach & Artichoke dip. But, I'm extremely picky when it comes to who makes the dip at a household or restaurant. The proper tortilla chip is key too. If the chip is this and the dip is too thick, then you're constantly breaking chips and you can't enjoy the dip. If the chip is too thick and the dip is too runny, then there's no joy in that either. It also had to be above warm or hot when served. Cold dip gets the boot. Balance is key when it comes to Spinach & Artichoke dip, and if the balance is there I will eat it until it's gone.

Proper tortilla chips are really important and often overlooked. Random-ass tortillas won't work. Regardless of how nice the dip is, with the wrong delivery system it just won't work. Period. End of Sentence.

So you are a writer of some indy comic books, and if I know anything about writers it is that writers read. Question 5: What comic books are you actively consuming? and do you follow a particular writer regardless of what book they are putting out?

Currently I am reading The Complete Peanuts Collection because I want to re-learn about how to effectively use timing in the short comic format. Plus, it's really cool to see the artistic growth of Charles Schulz from when he first started creating Charlie Brown and the crew to what it became. I'm also reading The Essential Smart Football by Chris Brown, and Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older. And I'll pick up a book written by Walter Mosley no matter the subject.

I was looking through some of the earlier Peanuts strips a few years ago and I was surprised by the difference in the models for the characters. There was significant artistic growth from year to year for Schulz. Another interesting one to look through for sequential 3 to 6 panel story telling is Jim Davis. The artistic jumps by that man are impressive. Garfield was a black and white muddy mess for a few years. If you look at the syndicated cartoonists of yesteryear, some were really allowed to grow and evolve. I do not think that is the case these days. It seems that syndicated cartoons have to be fully formed and fleshed out prior to being syndicated now.

The Internet is allowing people to grow and evolve on their own. Take Scott Kurtz from the Internet's own PvPOnline. His original strips are quite different than his current ones. So much growth that you can just look through. Same with Christopher Hastings'Dr McNinja(sadly completed now) and Gunnerkrigg Court by Tom Sidell. It is a fascinating exercise to wade through their early work and see how they have grown and changed.

There are others, and I would like to look more into WebToon and see what's over there because their collection of webcomics is quite massive.

I have heard of a few of those. The others I will need to take a look at. Since there has been more of a democratization of content do to web-based publishing and such, there is an amazing amount of content out there for people to consume. The issue with that content is that most of it is overwhelmingly terrible, only some of it is remotely palatable, and very little of it is actually good. Since there is such an astounding amount of content out there that means that the amount of truly good things is greater than it ever has been. Question 7: How does a consumer really get through to the signal of good content when there is all this noise out there?

It's difficult to navigate your creative ship through the waters of the internet, conventions and other venues.

I continue to grown and culture my follower bases on social media, attend the conventions where I feel my works will have a visible crowd and receptive eye, create crowdfunding projects, tell family members that are interested in what I do about my projects, monthly newsletters, etc, etc. All those things add up and it prevents me from putting all my eggs in one basket, because you know like I know that if you only have one venue and that venue crashes, you're screwed.

So if someone buys a book of mine online or at a convention, supports my crowdfunding project, or tells someone else of my works via social media, between all those options the signal continues to grow. It's a slow burn, but once the fire starts to become steady you have to work to keep the flame going.

It really is a matter of not finding a gigantic audience at first, but cultivating an intimate, engaged, and committed audience. Then it is all about building from there.

Question 8: Where do you find that you have your most fervent content consumers? Which platform do they come from and what property of yours are they associated with?

The most fervent come from Twitter and Kickstarter and are associated with the all-ages mystery comic book series I created with Giulie Speziani called "Cash & Carrie" which is currently on Amazon, or you can request your local library for a copy.

I created a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 for a Cash & Carrie pilot issue and it was a massive success. Some of those who supported the Kickstarter campaign followed me on Twitter and other social media venues later on. A high number of those who pledged to the 2105 Kickstarter campaign came from Twitter. In 2016 we put together a 72-page Cash & Carrie book and I was able to use Twitter to spread the word repeatedly during it's initial pre-order run and after it was officially released. At least once a week I remind people that the book is available for purchase.

That's interesting. I would not have guessed Twitter as the strongest platform.

As far as Cash and Carrie... both my 13 year old boy and 8 year old girl LOVE it. So... Question 9: Will there be more Cash and Carrie? Pleeeeeze!

Well, from what I have been told Cash & Carrie: Book One is doing pretty well with libraries and bookstores, and I'll also be taking it with me during convention season to boost its profile as much as possible to boost sales further.

Because of this, there will be a Book Two. I'm in the process of figuring out how to make that happen. I may do a crowdfunding project for a "special edition" Cash & Carrie comic book while we work out how we're going to make a Book Two. Cash & Carrie changed my life and I've had plenty of kids and adults tell me how much they enjoy the book, the adventures these two characters have and the inclusivity it brings. I love this book. I'll do all I can to make more of it.

We all loved book one and are eagerly awaiting book 2. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.

Now comes a fill in the blanks question. Question 10: I find that I am mostly _______. Others find that I am mostly _______.

I find that I am mostly introverted. Others find that I am mostly an extrovert, rain or shine.

Both are true. I am more than capable of handling myself in social situations and environments, but I have a tendency to lay low, keep to myself and observe my surroundings. However, as a creative I know that there are moments that you have to be vocal, boisterous and show the passion of your projects to others so they believe in your works so the extrovert in me has no other choice than to come out of its shell and do its thing.

If you are both an introvert and an extrovert Question 11: how do you prefer to recharge? Alone with a good book or in conversation/activities with friends?

I normally recharge with a good book, glass of wine and some music in the background. Granted, it's been awhile since I've been able to do such. Maybe it's time…Writers always seem to be reading. I would imagine it is both a blessing and a curse.

So from time to time, as an artist I see some work by someone that is so incredibly sublime that it makes me want to throw all my art supplies out and burn my house down to rid the world of the filth I have drawn over the years. Question 12: Is there a writer out there that makes you want to stop smashing keys on a keyboard and just give up writing all together?

In comic books, it's Christopher Priest. He's written some fantastic books and no one has a better grasp of dialogue than he does. No one. In prose, I would say Walter Mosley and the late Octavia Butler because the words they type show no fear. It's inspiring to me and I get mad that I can't get to their level yet. I will. One day.

I believe you definitely will. I really like your work.

Question 13: do you have any superstitions or rituals in your life?

Every time that I table at a convention, I take with me a small toy version of Franklin from Peanuts and Cyborg and place them in a hidden spot on the table for good luck.

I have a lot of rituals, but one that I try my best to do every morning when I wake up is to get up out of bed, take a deep breath, look at the world outside my window, ask myself what mood I'm in and take a step forward to handle my day. I also try to give at least one to two compliments a day because you never know how a compliment can change someone's day or life.

These are great. Many people do not think they have rituals and superstitions, I think they are fooling themselves are have been doing these things so unconsciously, that they did not realize it actually was a ritual/superstition.

I got this questions when I asked Patrick Beja 20 questions a while ago. I enjoy this question because it is deceptively simple, but harbors a wealth of complexity in its answer. Question 14: Are you happy?

As I type this response, I am happy that I am surrounded with wonderful family and friends who are sincere, loving and kind. Internally, I am happy. Creatively, I am happy when I can bring a project to life with fantastic, energized people. Externally, I have dealt with racism and micro-agressions for so long in my life that it's hard to happy externally. It's difficult to be externally happy when some people refuse to see you as equals or human beings. Some days are better than others from an external standpoint.

I am happy for the internal happiness that you are experiencing in your life right now. You seem to be a bit of a creative juggernaut at the moment and I love seeing creators creating. Internal happiness is sometimes very difficult to achieve. I am more than unhappy for you for your external happiness levels. This aspect of our "modern" society infuriates me. It truly does infuriate me on a level that is incredibly deep. I got your back, because it is incumbent upon CIS middle-aged white dudes to step the fuck up. I am doing everything in my power right now to not have this become a political rant, but on today of all days (editor's note: This portion of the post is taking place on January 20th, 2017 as Donald Trump becomes the President) your comment is very poignant, and we the moderate and liberal whites need to be better. We just have to be better at doing. We cannot idly sit on the sidelines.

Let's go to something lighter... Question 15: Is there a mainstream comic title that you would love to write for? If so, which one? If not, why?

Right now, there's only one mainstream comic title that I would like to write: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. It's been on my wish list to write Power Rangers for over 20 years, and for the first time in its history it has a publisher that really behind it wanting to get it out to the masses. Me and a couple of close friends have a tome of stories we can tell that's steeped in the lore of the television series and all of its incarnations. The Power Rangers are the biggest superheroes of the 1990s. I've always enjoyed Super Sentai (the material that Power Rangers originally comes from) and the camaraderie that's shared through the team through thick and thin. Plus the uniform designs, color schemes, mecha and their super-villains bring me joy.

For now, writing Power Rangers is a pipe-dream. I may just do my own Rangers book one day and give it away for free.

Very interesting. I think I was 3 years off from really enjoying the power-rangers as a kid. I was unhappy at the inclusion of live action Saturday morning fair removing my beloved cartoons form the airwaves. Power Rangers has quite the history though, it has been through at least 20 iterations just in it's English incarnation. One could easily see many potential stories out there. So that leads me to ask... Question 16: What are your hopes and fears for the upcoming (now in theaters: Thanks, --The editor) Power Rangers movie?

My hopes are that the film is fun and at least has a decent third act. Seeing how the Power Rangers are super heroes and those types of movies have been massively popular at the box office, the problem I find is that some of the super hero films have a tendency to lack a strong third act and in turn use that act to either kick-the-can to the sequel, which then leads to incomplete cinematic story-telling or the third act is anti-climactic because the antagonist (who looks like a fantastic villain, visually) may be poorly built as a character which leads me as a viewer seeing no real threat for the protagonist.

My fear is that in trying to re-imagine the property, the film will be gritty, possibly dark, and have no soul. We'll see.

I do believe it is setting itself up to be visually stunning with little substance to back it up. My bet is the first act is good, the second is passable and the third is solely there to set up a sequel. I think you might be on the money with this one.

Question 17: Was there a question you were expecting from me that I did not ask?

Hmm...I was kind of expecting a question about first impressions at conventions, when you meet the person tabling to the right or left of you, and how long before you know if you can socialize with that person?

Hopefully that came out the right way.

I've tabled at some shows surrounded by sincere and wonderful people on either side of me where fun stories and tips were shared, and other times i've tabled next to people that were rude and put up barriers on their side of the table that blocked me from people's line of sight while walking down convention aisles. Interesting times.

I think tables at conventions are often just reflections of the world writ large. There are good people and bad people. It is sad that CincyComicCon has rolled up their carpet and called it a day, because it seemed more good than bad. I met many great a person at those cons. I definitely count you in that cadre of great people.

So, now is the time that I turn the tables. Question 18: Are there any questions you need to ask me?

As a matter of fact, I do:

- What is the first thing you ever remember drawing?- When is the last time that you had a meal that you can't forget about?- What kind of markers do you use for your sketches?- What do you like to draw the most?

Alrighty. Here we go.

First thing I remember drawing, that I can actually remember the drawing of and what it looked like afterwards was of a military jet with a pilot in it. I remember being really proud of the fact that I fit the pilot's head in the cockpit.

The last meal that I cannot forget about is, at the moment, from a few days ago when I made some fajita chicken tenders for the fam. It is memorable because both kids enjoyed it, which is rare.

I use Copics for my sketches. I have not been drawing with them nearly as much as I should be though at the moment.

I like drawing fantasy stuff, but I find myself drawing super hero stuff more. When I draw fantasy stuff there is a better chance of me actually drawing a "complete" drawing with back grounds and context and story embedded within the pic, but I find myself drawing little super hero pin-ups more.

And here we go with the penultimate question. Question 19: What are you taking from these 20 Questions that you did not bring in with you?

That for me, there is more to life than just creating comics. I need to fully express my creative abilities in other fields as well and I feel that will help me grow as a creative. Sometimes, we limit ourselves without knowing as to why. At times we limit ourselves due to fear or what others may say, but the truth of the matter is that we will never reach our true potential unless we tap into the areas we fear most and open those doors.

And at times, we just need to go outside, get a breath of fresh air and enjoy life.

That is a good thing to take from these 20 Questions. I am not sure how I helped you to get to that understanding, but I will take it and run with it, and take credit for it even though I am not sure how the 20 questions might have led you to that conclusion. I never know what question 19 will get me, and this answer really has me happy. You do me a great service by saying that this interaction led to anything useful.

Question 20: What's next? Be as vague or as specific, as concrete or philosophical, and as near term or long term as you would like.

Well, I have a number of conventions and mini-conventions that I'll be tabling at this year, including C2e2, Ohio Comic & Toy Con, Derby City, LibraryCon and other places. Creatively, I am working on a plan for Cash & Carrie: Book Two with co-creator Giulie Speziani, as well as a couple of other original graphic novels. If things fall into place, I hope to write a short film this year and possibly shoot it this summer.

I also want to again make sure that I take time off/away from the creative and work world. Sometimes we need to have our own moments of solace and peace, and there's nothing wrong with that. Fresh air. Enjoy life.

Thank you for letting me be a part of this, Scott. I've really enjoyed this. Continued best to you, and blessings to you and your family. Peace.

I too have enjoyed this. I am subscribed to your newsletter and have been digging your tweeting. Cannot wait to see you again at one of these upcoming conventions.

Everyone should follow Shawn on the twitters and sign up for his newsletter. Get his books, goddamnit. Cash and Carrie, Kentucky Kaiju, and FORCE. I don’t often seriously advocate for people to consume others’ content, but seriously, Shawn’s work is amazing and should be consumed by every living being. And even some dead ones, I’m looking your way Dead Grandma Savory.

To recap:Shawn is really great and I count myself lucky to have met him and interacted with him on this levelWould I want to hang out with him and become his friend?Umm… I mean, uh, that would be cool and stuff, but you know, if that happened and all that..I have been away from the blog for a whileI feel badly about thatBut, I need interviewees and questioners to keep this movingFew people are willing to ask me questions for non-interview 20 Q’sAnd it is difficult to get people to answer 20 Q’sRock | me | Hard PlaceWhich would be some kind of hard rock lyric from an Scottish bandRock me hard place, lak it huin’t baen rock’d b’fordWe are Highland Met’l! Thank You, Glisgooooo! Goonit!On another note, April Fool’s day went off without a hitchAnd March Madness finished in AprilI am trying to get caffeine out of my systemSo I have a nasty headache right now as I type thisThis past CincyComiCon was the last, so I will need to find another con to see Shawn at49 years ago today MLK was assassinatedLooking at the landscape, it looks like it was only 30 years agoUghLet’s make it look like it was 100 years agoHave a great week everyone

20 Questions Tuesday on a Wednesday?!?! You bet your sweet bippy there is! I have been a little under the weather and didn’t really feel up to it yesterday. So deal, kay?

This week the wife is out of town in sunny White Horse, Yukon Territory, Canada. Yep, her work has taken her to the Yukon Territory in February. She can pick locations. Did I mention that she also does work in Arizona in July? Well, she does. Timing is everything… Anyway… she is away working in the YT and that made me choose the topic of “Yukon.”

Thanks this week go to Lsig, Dr JHP, The lovely wife, Tonya, Aunt Linda, Grapes, Steev, Bruce, and some other guy. Let’s get to these questions.

1. Is Yukon Cornelius a fair representation of the native population or a demeaning stereotype?I think he is neither… I was not aware that he was representing any native Inuit population… I just thought he was just representing a caricature of a prospector.

2. Yukon Gold potatoes, are any of them actually grown there in the Yukon?Not that I am aware of. They are a northern potato, but I don’t think they are grown in the YT.

3. Yukon Gold or the '49er gold rush, which was a better shot at striking it rich?They both had terrible bajillionaire rates. I would say there was a better chance of surviving the 49er Rush than the Yukon one just because of climate. Bunches of people died just getting to the Yukon, much less staying there for the prospecting.

4. Isn't it awfully cold up there this time of year?It is indeed.

5. Have you ever been to the Yukon?Nope

6. Do you want to go to the Yukon?Yep

7. What advice did your wife before she left?Layer up? I don’t remember. Knowing me though, it was probably something about finding the biggest person and wearing their skin like a suit.

8. Are there any black people in the Yukon?Not many if any.

9. What's the farthest north you've been?Edinburgh, Scotland

10. What do you feel about Yukon Gold potatoes?I don’t like them very much, but they are better than redskin potatoes. Those suck and you know it.

11. Does your wife understand the “Cremation of Sam Magee” better now that she has been to the "cold?"I am pretty sure she is not really aware of the poem that is set on the marge of the Lake Labarge.

12. Why did Yukon Cornelius have such an array of sled dogs?He was a collector of misfit dogsled dogs.

13. The Yukon is a great place for viewing the beauty of the Aurora Borealis but most people don’t know that it also actually makes a hissing noise. Another thing that makes hissing noises are cockroaches but those are found in Madagascar. You cannot see the Aurora Borealis in Madagascar but you can see a species of periwinkle that is used to treat cancer. According to the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics, the leading cause of death in the Yukon territory is cancer. There are 1,112 species of plants in the Yukon that represent 80 families of vascular plants but none of them are cancer treating periwinkles. That being said, what is the name of the body of water on the Yukon’s northern coast?Oooh, a geography question.... eventually. Beaufort Sea…. also known as “Ice.”

14. Other than tinsel and/or ornaments, do you think Yukon Cornelius ever found any silver or gold?Nope, he was insane.

15. What would you do-oo-oo for a Klondike Bar?Not much. It is not even an ice cream sandwich. It is merely some ice cream with a thin chocolate shell. If it had caramel, I would punch a bunny.

17. Is the GMC Yukon still being made, even with it’s crappy mpg?It is, indeed. It is big an SUV-ey for when there is a light mist and you need to traverse a 1% grade.

18. Do you think there will ever be a GMC Yukon with an alternative fuel source to take care of that crappy mpg?Nope. That vehicle name dies when fossil fuel combustion engines are no longer being used. Hopefully it will then be called the GMC Nunavut.

19. So will UConn be good at basketball this year?Most likely. They typically are.

20. What percentage of the total population of the Yukon Territory is White Horse?Around 75%.